A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY 



NARRATIVE OF EVENTS 



HARPER'S FERRY; 



INCIDENTS PlilOK AND SUBSEQUENT TO ITS CAPTURE BY 
CAPTAIN BROWN AND HIS MEN. 



BY 

OSBORNE P. ANDERSON, 

OXE OF THE NUMBEK, 



I 

! i 

BOSTON: i 

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 

1861. 



A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY 



NAKKATIVE OF EVENTS 



HARPEE'S FERRY; 



INCIDENTS PRIOR AND SUBSEQUENT TO ITS CAPTURE |BT 
CAPTAIN BROWN AND HIS MEN. j 



OSBORNE P.^ANDERSO^^ 

h 

•iNE OF THK NUMBER, 



BOSTON: ..^ 

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 
1 8 G 1 , 



PREFACE. 



My sole purpose in publishing the following Narrative is to save from 
oblivion the facts connected with one of the most important movementa of 
this age, with reference to the overthrow of American slavery. My own 
personal experience in it, under the orders of Capt. Brown, on the 16th 
and 17th of October, 1859, as the only man alive who was at Harper's 
Ferry during the entire time — the unsuccessful groping after these facts, 
by individuals, impossible to be obtained, except from an actor in the 
scene — and the conviction that the cause of impartial liberty requires 
this duty at my hands — alone have been the motives for writing and cir- 
culating the little book herewith presented. 

I will not, under such circumstances, insult nor burden the intelligent 
with excuses for defects in composition, nor for the attempt to give the 
facts. A plain, unadorned, truthful story is wanted, and that by one 
who knows what he says, who is known to have been at the great en- 
counter, and to have labored in shaping the same. My identity as a mem- 
ber of Capt. Brown's company cannot be questioned, successfully, by any 
who are bent upon suppressing the ti'uth ; neither will it be by any iu 
Canada or the United States familiar with John Brown and hia plana, as 
those know his men personally, or by reputation, who eiyoyed his confi- 
dence sufficiently to know thoroughly his plans. 

The readers of this narrative will therefore keep steadily in view the 
main point — that they are perusing a story of events which have hap- 
pened under the eye of the great Captain, or are incidental thereto, and 



4 P K E P A E . 

not a eompeiKlium of the "plans" of Capt. Brown ; for a§ his plana were 
not consummated, and as their fulfilment is committed to the future, no 
oao to whom they are known will recklessly expose all of them to the 
public gaze. Much has been given as true that never happened ; much has 
been omitted that should have been made known ; many things have 
been left unsaid, because, up to within a short time, but two could say 
them ; one of them has been offered up, a sacrifice to the Moloch, Slavery ; 
being that other one, I propose to perform the duty, trusting to that por- 
tion of the public who lovo the right for an appreciation of my en- 
deavor. 

0. P. A. 



A VOICE FHOM HARPER'S FERRY. 



CHAPTEK I. 

THE IDEA AND ITS EXPONENTS JOUN BROWN ANOTHER MOSES. 

The idea underlying the outbreak at Harper's Ferry is 
not peculiar to that movement, but dates back to a period 
very far beyond the memory of the " oldest inhabitant," and 
emanated from a source much superior to the Wises and 
Hunters, the Buchanans and Masons of to-day. It was the 
appointed work for life of an ancient patriarch spoken of in 
Exodus, chap, ii., and who, true to his great commission, 
failed not to trouble the conscience and to disturb the repose 
of the Pharaohs of Egypt with that inexorable, " Thus saith 
the Lord : Let my people go ! " until even they were urgent 
upon the people in its behalf. Coming down through the 
nations, and regardless of national boundaries or peculiarities, 
it has been proclaimed and enforced by the patriarch and the 
warrior of the Old World, by the enfranchised freeman and the 
humble slave of the New. Its nationality is universal ; its 
language every where understood by the haters of tyranny; 
and those that accept its mission, every where understand 
each other. There is an unbroken chain of sentiment and 
purpose from Moses of the Jews to John Brown of America; 
from Kossuth, and the liberators of France and Italy, to the 
untutored Gabriel, and the Denmark Veseys, Nat Turners 
and Madison Washingtons of the Southern American States. 
The shaping and expressing of a thought for freedom takes 
2 



6 A VOICE FROM HARPER's FERRY. 

the same consistence witk the colored American — whether he 
be an independent citizen of the Ha;^^^^^ nation, a proscribed 
but humble nominally free colored man, a patient, toiling, but 
hopeful slave — as with the proudest or noblest representative 
of European or American civilization and Christianity. 
Lafayette, the exponent of French honor and political integ- - 
rity, and John Brown, foremost among the men of the New 
"World in high moral and religious principle and magnani- 
mous bravery, embrace as brothers of the same mother, in 
harmony upon the grand mission of liberty ; but, while the 
Frenchman entered the lists in obedience to a desire to aid, 
and by invitation from the Adamses and Hamiltons, and thus 
pushed on the political fortunes of those able to help them- 
selves, John Brown, the liberator of Kansas, the projector 
and commander of the Harper's Ferry expedition, saw in the 
most degraded slave a man and a brother, whose appeal for 
his God-ordained rights no one should disregard ; in the tod- 
dling slave child, a captive whose release is as imperative, 
and whose prerogative is as weighty, as the most famous in 
the land. When the Egyptian pressed hard upon the He- 
brew, Moses slew him ; and when the spirit of slavery invaded 
the fair Territory of Kansas, causing the Free-State settlers 
to cry out because of persecution, old John Brown, famous 
among the men of God for ever, though then but little known 
to his fellow-men, called together his sons and went over, as 
did Abraham, to the unequal contest, but on the side of the 
oppressed white men of Kansas that were, and the black men 
that were to be. To-day, Kansas is free, and the verdict of 
impartial men is, that to John Brown, more than any other 
man, Kansas owes her present position. 

I am not the biographer of John Brown, but I can be 
indulged in giving here the opinion common among my peo- 
ple of one so eminently worthy of the highest veneration. 
Close observation of him, during many weeks, and under his 



PRELIMINARIES TO INSURRECTION. 7 

orders at his Kenncdj-Farm fireside, also, satisfies me that in 
comparing the noble old man to Moses, and other men of 
pietj and renown, who were chosen by God to his great work, 
none have been more faithful, none have given a brighter 
record. 



CHAPTER II. 

PRELIMINARIES TO INSURRECTION WHAT MAY BE TOLD AND 

WHAT NOT JOHN BROWN's FIRST VISIT TO CHATHAM SOME 

OF THE SECRETS FROM THE "CARPET-BAG." 

To go into particulars, and to detail reports current more 
than a year before the outbreak, among the many in the 
United States and Canada who had an inkling of some "prac- 
tical work" to be done by " Osawattomie Brown," when there 
should be nothing to do in Kansas, — to give facts in that 
connection, would only forestall future action, without really 
benefitting the slave, or winning over to that sort of work the 
anti-slavery men who do not favor physical resistance to sla- 
very. Slaveholders alone might reap benefits; and for one, 
I shall throw none in their way, by any indiscreet avowals; 
they already enjoy more than their share; but to a clear un- 
derstanding of all the facts to be here published, it may be 
well to say, that preliminary arrangements were made in a 
number of places, — plans proposed, discussed and decided 
upon, numbers invited to participate in the movement, and 
the list of adherents increased. Nine insurrections is the 
number given by some as the true list of outbreaks since sla- 
very was planted in America ; whether correct or not, it is 
certain that preliminaries to each are unquestionable. Ga- 
briel, Yesey, Nat Turner, all had conference meetings; all 



8 A VOtCE fROM harper's I'ERRY. 

had their plans; but they differ from the Harper's Ferry in- 
surrection in the f\ict that neither leader nor men, in the lat- 
ter, divulged ours, when in the most trying of situations. 
Hark and another met Nat Turner in secret places, after the 
fatigues of a toilsome day were ended ; Gabriel promulged 
his treason in the silence of the dense forest ; but John 
Brown reasoned of liberty and equality in broad daylight, 
in a modernized building, in conventions with closed doors, in 
meetings governed by the elaborate regulations laid down 
by Jefferson, and used as their guides by Congresses and Le- 
gislatures; or he made known the weighty theme, and his 
comprehensive plans resulting from it, by the cosy fireside, at 
familiar social gatherings of chosen ones, or better, in the 
carefully arranged junto of earnest, practical men. Yague 
hints, careful blinds, are Nat Turner's entire make-up to save 
detection ; the telegraph, the post-office, the railway, all were 
made to aid the new outbreak. By this, it will be seen that 
Insurrection has its progressive side, and has been elevated by 
John Brown from the skulking, fearing cabal, when in the 
hands of a brave but despairing few, to the highly organized, 
formidable, and to very many, indispensable institution for 
the security of freedom, when guided by intelligence. 

So much as relates to prior movements may safely be said 
above; but who met — when they met — where they met — 
how many yet await the propitious moment — upon whom the 
mantle of John Brown has fallen to lead on the future army — 
the certain, terribly certain, many who must follow up the 
work, forgetting not to gather up the blood of the hero and 
his slain, to the humble bondman there offered — these may 
not, must not be told ! Of the many meetings in various 
places, before the work commenced, I shall speak just here 
of the one, the minutes of which were dragged forth by ma- 
rauding Virginians from the "archives" at Kennedy Farm; 
not forgetting, however, for their comfort, that the Convention 



JOHN brown's first VISIT TO CHATHAM. 9 

was one of a series at Chatham, some of which wore of 
equally groat, if not greater, importance. 

The first visit of John Brown to Chatham was in April, 
1858. Wherever he went around, although an entire stran- 
ger, he made a profound impression upon those who saw or 
became acquainted with him. Some supposed him to be a 
staid but modernized Quaker ; others, a solid business man, 
from "somewhere," and without question a philanthropist. 
His long white beard, thoughtful and reverent brow and 
physiognomy, his sturdy, measured tread, as he circulated 
about with hands, as portrayed in the best lithograph, under 
the pendant coat-skirt of plain brown Tweed, with other gar- ' 
ments to match, revived to those honored with his acquaint- ' 
ance and knowing to his history, the memory of a Puritan of 
the most exalted type. 

After some important business, preparatory to the Conven- 
tion, was finished, Mr. Brown went West, and returned with 
his men, who had been spending the winter in Iowa. The 
party, including the old gentleman, numbered twelve, — as 
brave, intelligent and earnest a company as could have been 
associated in one party. There were John H. Kagi, Aaron 
D. Stevens, Owen Brown, Eichard Realf, George B. Gill, C. 
W. Moffitt, Wm. H. Leeman, John E. Cook, Stewart Taylor, 
Richard Richardson, Charles P. Tidd and J. S. Parsons — 
all white except Bichard Richardson, who was a slave in 
Missouri until helped to his liberty by Captain Brown. At 
a meeting held to prepare for the Convention and to examine 
the Constitution, Dr. M. R. Delany was Chairman, and John 
H. Kagi and myself were the Secretaries. 

When the Convention assembled, the minutes of which 
were seized by the slaveholding "cravens" at the Farm, 
and which, as they have been identified, I shall append 
to this chapter, Mr. Brown unfolded his plans and purpose. 
He regarded slavery as a state of perpetual war against the 



10 



A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 



slave, and was fully impressed with the idea that himself and 
his friends had the right to take liberty, and to use arms in 
defending the same. Being a devout Bible Christian, he 
sustained his views and shaped his plans in conformity to the 
Bible; and when setting them forth, he quoted freely from 
the Scripture to sustain his position. He realized and en- 
; forced the doctrine of destroying the tree that bringeth forth 
'corrupt fruit. Slavery was to him the corrupt tree, and the 
duty of every Christian man was to strike down slavery, and 
to commit its fragments to the flames. He was listened to 
with profound attention, his views were adopted, and the men 
whose names form a part of the minutes of that in many re- 
spects extraordinary meeting, aided yet further in completing 
the work. 

MINUTES OF THE CONVENTION. 

Chatham, (Canada West,) ^ 

Saturday, May 8, 1858—10, A. M. 5 

Convention met in pursuance to a call of John Brown and others, and 
was called to order by Mr. Jackson, on whose motion, Mr. William C. Mun- 
roe was chosen President ; when, on motion of Mr. Brown, Mr. J. H. 
Kagi was elected Secretary. 

On motion of Mr. Delany, Mr. Brown then proceeded to state the object 
of the Convention at length, and then to explain the general features of 
the plan of action in the execution of the project in view by the Conven- 
tion. Mr. Delany and others spoke in favor of the project and the plan, 
and both were agreed to by general consent. 

Mr. Brown then presented a plan of organization, entitled " Provisional 
Constitution and Ordinances for the People of the United States," and 
moved the reading of the same. 

Mr. Kinnard objected to the reading until an oath of secrecy was taken 
by each member of the Convention ; whereupon Mr. Delany moved that 
the following parole of honor be taken by all the members of the Conven- 
tion — "I solemnly affirm that I will not in any way divulge any of the 
secrets of this Convention, except to persons entitled to know the same, on 
the pain of forfeiting the respect and protection of this organization ; " 
which motion was carried. 

The President then proceeded to administer the obligation, after which 



MINUTES OF THE CHATHAM CONVENTION, 11 

the question was taken on the reading of the plan proposed by Mr. lirown, 
and the same carried. 

The plan was then read by the Secretary, after which, on motion of Mr. 
Whipple, it was ordered that it be now read by articles for consideration. 

The articles from one to forty-five, inclusive, were then read and adopted. 
On the reading of the forty-sixth, Mr. Reynolds moved to strike out tlio 
same. Reynolds spoke in favor, and Brown, Munroe, Owen Brown, Dela- 
ny, Realf, Kinnard and Kagi against. The question was then taken and 
lost, there being but one vote in. the affirmative. The article was then 
adopted. 

The forty-seventh and forty-eighth articles, with the schedule, were then 
adopted in the same manner. It was then moved by Mr- Delany that the 
title and preamble stand as read. Carried. 

On motion of Mr. Kagi, the Constitution, as a whole, was then unani- 
mously adopted. 

The Convention then, at half-past one o'clock, P. M., adjourned, on 
motion of Mr. Jackson, till three o'clock. 

Theee o'clock, p. M. Journal read and approved. 

On motion of Mr. Delany, it was then ordered that those approving of 
the Constitution as adopted sign the same ; whereupon the names of all the 
members were appended. 

After congratulatory remarks by Messrs. Kinnard and Delany, the Con- 
vention, on motion of Mr. Whipple, adjourned at three and three-quarters 
o'clock. 

J. H. KAGrI, Secretary of the Convention. 

The above is a journal of the Provisional Constitutional Convention held 
at Chatham, Canada West, May 8, 1858, as herein stated. 



Chatham, (Canada West,) Saturday, May 8, 1858. 
Six, p. M. In accordance with, and obedience to, the provisions of the 
schedule to the Constitution for the proscribed and oppressed people " of 
the United States of America," to-day adopted at this place, a Convention 
was called by the President of the Convention framing that instrument, 
and met at the above-named houi-, for the purpose of electing officers to fill 
the offices specially established and named by said Constitution. 

The Convention was called to order by Mr. M. E- Delany, upon whose 
nomination, Mr. Wm. C, Munroe was chosen President, and Mr. J. H. 
Kagi, Secretary. 

A Committee, consisting of Messrs. Whipple, Kagi, Bell, Cook and Mun- 
roe, was then chosen to select candidates for the various offices to be fiUed, 
for the consideration of the Convention. 



12 A VOICE FROM harper's FERRY, 

On reporting progress, and asking leave to sit again, the request was 
refused, and Committee discharged. 

On motion of Mr. Bell, the Convention then went into the election of 
• officers, in the following manner and order : — 

Mr. "Whipple nominated John Brown for Commander-in-Chief, who, on 
the seconding of Mr. Delany, was elected by acclamation. 

Mr. Eealf nominated J. H. Kagi for Secretary of War, who was elected 
in the same manner. 

On motion of Mr. Brown, the Convention then adjourned to 9, A. M., 
on Monday, the 10th. 



Monday, May 10, 1858 — 9, A. M. The proceedings of the Convention 
on Saturday were read and approved. 

The President announced that the business before the Convention was 
the further election of officers. 

Mr. Whipple nominated Thomas M. Kinnardfor President. In a speech 
of some length, Mr. Kinnard declined. 

Mr. Anderson nominated J. W. Loguen for the same office. The nomi- 
nation was afterwards withdrawn, Mr. Loguen not being present, and it 
being announced that he would not serve if elected. 

Mr. Brown then moved to postpone the election of President for the 
present. Carried. 

The Convention then went into the election of members of Congress. 
Messrs. A. M. Ellsworth and Osborn Anderson were elected. 

After which, the Convention went into the election of Secretary of State, 
to which office Richard Realf was chosen. 

Whereupon the Convention adjourned to half-past two, P. M. 

2 1-2, P. M. Convention again assembled, and went into a balloting for 
the election of Treasurer and Secretary of the Treasury. Owen Brown was 
elected as the former, and George B. Gill as the latter. 

The following resolution was then introduced by Mr. Brown, and unani- 
mously passed : — 

Resolved, That John Brown, J. H. Kagi, Richard Realf, L. F. Parsons, 
C. P. Todd, C. Whipple, C. W. Moffit, John E. Cook, Owen Brown, Stew- 
art Taylor, Osborn Anderson, A. M. Ellsworth, Richard Richardson, W. 
H. Leeman and John Lawrence be and are hereby appointed a Committee 
to whom is delegated the power of the Convention to fill by election all 
the offices specially named in the Provisional Constitution which may be 
vacant after the adjournment of this Convention. 
The Convention then adjourned, sine die. 

J. H. KAGI, Secretary of the Convention. 



TTKE WOKK GOKS ON. 13 

NAMES OF MEMBERS OF THE CONVENTION, WRITTEN BY EACH PERSON. 

William Charles Munroe, President of the Convention ; (i. J. R^ynoldf^ 
J. C. Grant, A. J. Smitli, James M. Jones, George B. Gill, M. F. Uailey, 
William Lambert, S. llunton, C, W, Moffit, John J. Jackson, J, Anderson, 
Alfred Whipple, James M, Buel, W. IL Lecman, Alfred j\I. Ellsworth, 
John E. Cook, Stewart Taylor, James W. Purnell, George Aiken, Stei)hcn 
Dettin, Thomas Hickerson, John Ca^inel, llobinson Alexander, lliehard 
Realf, Thomas F. Cary, Richard Richardson, L. F. Parsons, Thomas M. 
Kinnard, M, IL Deiany, Robert Vanvank>en, Thomas M, Stringer, Charles 
P. Tidd, John A.. Thomas, C. Whipple, L D. bhadd, Robert Newman, Owen 
Brown, John Brown, J. H. Harris, Charles Smith, Simon Fislin, Isaac 
Holler, James Smith, J. H, Kagi, Secretary of th« Convention. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE WORK GOING BRAVELY ON THOSE COMMISSIONS JOHN 

H, KAGI A LITTLE CLOUD " JUDAS " FORBES ETC. 

Many affect to despise tke Chatham Couvention, and the 
persons who there abetted the "treason." Governor Wise 
would like nothing better than to engage the Canadas, with 
but ten men under his command. By that it is clear that the 
men acquainted with Brown's plans would not be a "break- 
fast-spell " for tke chivalrous Virginian. In one respect, they 
were not formidable, and their Constitution would seem to be 
a harmless paper. Some of them were outlaws against Bu- 
chanan Democratic rule in the Territories ; some were colored 
men who had felt severely the prescriptive spirit of American 
caste ; others were escaped slaves, who had left dear kindred 
behind, writhing in the bloodj^ grasp of the vile man-stealer, 
never, never to be rele^ised, until some practical, daring, de- 
termined step should be taken by their friends or their 
escaped brethren. What use could such men make of a Con- 
stitution ? Destitute o? political or social power, as respects 
2* 



14 A TOICE FROM HARPER's FERRT. 

the American States and people, what ghost of an echo could 
they invoke, by declamation or action, against the peculiar 
institution? In the light of slaveholding logic and its con- 
clusions, they were but renegade whites and insolent blacks; 
but, aggregating their grievances, summing up their deep- 
seated hostility to a system to which every precept of moral- 
ity, every tie of relationship, is a perpetual protest, the men 
in Convention, and the many who could not conveniently 
attend at the time, were not a handful to be despised. The 
braggadocio of the Virginia Governor might be eager to 
engage them with ten slaveholders, but John Brown was 
satisfied with them, and that is honor enough for a genera- 
tion. 

After the Convention adjourned, other business was de- 
spatched with utmost speed, and every one seemed in good 
spirits. The "boys" of the party of "Surveyors," as they 
were called, were the admired of those who knew them, and 
the subject of curious remark and inquiry by strangers. So 
many intellectual looking men are seldom seen in one party, 
and at the same time, such utter disregard of prevailing cus- 
tom, or style, in dress and other little conventionalities. 
Hour after hour they would sit in council, thoughtful, ready; 
some of them eloquent, all fearless, patient of the fatigues of 
business; anon, here and there over the "track," and again 
in the assembly ; when the time for relaxation came, sallying 
forth arm in arm, unshaven, unshorn, and altogether indiffer- 
ent about it ; or one, it may be, impressed with the coming 
responsibility, sauntering alone, in earnest thought, apparent- 
ly indifferent to all outward objects, but ready at a word or 
sign from the chief to undertake any task. 

Daring the sojourn at Chatham, the commissions to the 
men were discussed, &c. It has been a matter of inquiry, 
even among friends, why colored men were not commissioned 
by John Brown to act as captains, lieutenants, &c. I reply, 



.TOIIN n. KAGI, 15 

with the knowledge that men in the movement now living 
will confirm it, that John Brown did offer the captaincy, and , 
other military positions, to colored men equally with others, ( 
but a want of acquaintance with military tactics was the in- ' 
variable excuse. Holding a civil position, as we termed it, 
I declined a captain's commission tendered by the brave old 
man, as better suited to those more experienced ; and as T 
was willing to give my life to the cause, trusting to experi- 
ence and fidelity to make me more worthy, my excuse was 
accepted. The same must be said of other colored men to be 
spoken of hereafter, and who proved their worthiness by their 
able defence of freedom at the Ferry. 

JOHN H. KAGI. 

Of the constellation of noble men who came to Chatham 
with Capt. Brown, no one was greater in the essentials of true 
nobility of character and executive skill than John H. Kagi, 
the confidential friend and adviser of the old man, and second 
in position in the expedition ; no one was held in more 
deserved respect. Kagi was, singularly enough, a Virginian 
by birth, and had relatives in the region of the Ferry. He 
left home when a youth, an enemy to slavery, and brought as 
his gift offering to freedom three slaves, whom he piloted to 
the North. His innate hatred of the institution made him a 
willing exile from the State of his birth, and his great abil- 
ities, natural and acquired, entitled him to the position he 
held in Capt. Brown's confidence. 

Kagi was indifferent to personal appearance; he often 
went about with slouched hat, one leg of his pantaloons 
properly adjusted, and the other partly tucked into his high 
boot-top ; unbrushed, unshaven, and in utter disregard of 
" the latest style " ; but to his companions and acquaintances, 
a verification of Burns' man in the clothes; for John Henry 



16 A VOICE FROM HARPER's FERRY. 

Kagi had improved his time; he discoursed elegantly and 
fluently, wrote ably, and could occupy the platform with 
greater ability than many a man known to the American 
people as famous in these respects. John Brown appreciated 
him, and to his men, his estimate of John Henry was a 
familiar theme. 

Kagi's bravery, his devotion to the cause, his deference to 
the commands of his leader, were most nobly illustrated in 
his conduct at Harper's Ferry. 

Scarcely had ihe Convention and other meetings and busi- 
ness at Chatham been concluded, and most necessary work 
been done, both at St. Catherines and at this point, when the 
startling intelligence that the plans were exposed came to 
hand, and that "Judas" Forbes, after having disclosed some 
of our important arrangements in the Middle States, was on 
his way to Washington on a similar errand. This news 
caused an entire change in the programme for a time. The 
old gentleman went one way, the young men another, but 
ultimately to meet in Kansas, in part, where the summer was 
spent. In the winter of that year, Capt. Brown, J. H. Kagi, 
A. D. Stevens, C. P. Tidd and Owen Brown, went into Mis- 
souri, and released a company of slaves, whom they eventu- 
ally escorted to Canada, where they are now living and taking 
care of themselves. An incident of that slave rescue may 
serve to illustrate more fully the spirit pervading the old man 
and his " boys." After leaving Missouri with the fugitives, 
and while yet pursuing the perilous hegira, birth was given 
to a male child by one of the slave mothers. Dr. Doy, of 
Kansas, aided in the accouchment, and walked five miles 
afterwards to get new milk for the boy, while the old Cap- 
tain named hiiu John Brown, after himself, which name he 
now bears. At that time, a reward from the United States 
government was upon the head of Brown; United States 



''JtJDAS'* FORBES. 17 

Marshals were whisking about, prctcndedly eager to arrest 
them ; the weather was very cold, and dangers were upon 
every hand ; but not one jot of comfort or attention for the 
tender babe and its invalid mother was abated. No thought 
for their valuable selves, but only how best might the poor 
and despised charge in their keeping be prudently but really 
nursed and guarded in their trial journey for liberty. Noble 
leader of a noble company of men ! Yes, reader, whether at 
Harper's Ferry, or paving the way thither with such deeds as 
the one here told, and well known West, the old hero and 
that company were philanthropists to the core. I do not 
know if the wicked scheme of Forbes may not be excused a 
little, solely because it afforded the occasion for the great en- 
terprise, growing out of this last visit to Kansas ; but Forbes 
himself must nevertheless be held guilty for its inception, as 
only ambition to usurp power, and his great love of pelf, 
(peculiar to him, of all connected v>'ith Capt. Brown,) made 
him dissatisfied, and determined to add falsehood to his other 
sins against John Brown. 

" JUDAS " FORBES. 

This Forbes, who, though pretending to disclose some dan- 
gerous hornet's nest, was careful enough of his worthless self 
to tell next to nothing, but to resort to lies, rather from a 
clear understanding of the consequences, if caught, is an 
Eno-lishman. When information came, it was not known 
how much he had told or how little ; therefore Brown's pre- 
caution to proceed West. From the spring of '58 to the au- 
tumn of '59, getting no intelligence of him, it was said he 
had left America; but instead of that, he lurked around in 
disguise, feeling, no doubt, that he deserved the punishment of 
death. Before his defection, he entered into agreement with 
Ca[»t. Brown to work in the cause of emancipation upon the 



18 A TOiCE ]PROM HARPER^S FERRt. 

same terms as did the others, as I repeatedly learned from 
Brown and his associates, who were acquainted with the mat- 
ter, and whose veracitj stands infinitely above Forbes' word. 
From Brown, Kagi and Stevens, I learned that the position 
of second in the organization under the Captain was to be 
held by "Judas," because of his acquaintance with military 
science. He was to be drill-master of the company, but not 
to receive one particle of salary more than the youngest man 
in the company. But having once gained a secure foothold, 
he sought to carry out his evil design to make money out of 
philanthropy, or destroy the movement for ever, could he not 
be well paid to remain quiet. Money was his object from the 
jfirst, though disguised ; and when he failed to secure that, he 
raised the question of leadership with Capt. Brown, and that 
was his excuse for withdrawing from the movement. His 
heart was clearly never right ; but he only delayed, he did 
not stop the work. When the outbreak occurred, he figured 
for a little while, though very cautiously, and finally fled to 
Europe, another Cain, whose mark is unmistakable, and who 
had better never been born than attempt to stand up among 
the men he so greatly wronged. 



CHAPTER IV. 

THE WAY CLEAR ACTIVE PREPARATIONS KENNEDY FARM — 

EMIGRANTS FOR THE SOUTH CORRESPONDENCE THE AGENT. 

Throughout the summer of 1859, when every thing wore the 
appearance of perfeat quiet, when suspicions were all lulled, 
when those not fully initiated thought the whole scheme was 
abandoned, arrangements were in active preparation for the 
work. Mr. Brown, Kagi, and a part of the Harper's Ferry 
company, who had previously spent Bome time in Ohio, went 



KENNEDY FAIlM. \9 

into Pennsylvania in the month of June, and up to the early 
part of July, having made necessary observations, they pene- 
trated the Keystone yet further, and laid plans to receive freight 
and men as they should arrive. Under the assumed name of 
Smith, Captain Brown pushed his explorations further south, 
and selected 

KENNEDY FARM. 

Kennedy Farm, in every respect an excellent location for 
business as -'head-quarters," was rented at a cheap rate, and 
men and freight were sent thither. Capt. Brown returned to 

, and sent freight, while Kagi was stationed at , 

to correspond with persons elsewhere, and to receive and de- 
spatch freight as it came. Owen, Watson, and Oliver Brown, 
took their position at head-quarter?, to receive whatever was 
sent. These completed the arrangements. The Captain la- 
bored and travelled night and day, sometimes on old Dolly, his 
brown mule, and sometimes in the wagon. He would start 
directly after night, and travel the fifty miles between the 
Farm and'Chambersburg by daylight next morning ; and he 
otherwise kept open communication between head-quarters and 
the latter place, in order that matters might be arranged in 
due season. 

John H. Kagi wrote for freight, and the following letter, 
before published in relation to it, was written by a co-laborer : 

West Andover, Ohio, July 30tb, 1859. 
John IIenrie, Esq.: 

Dear Sir, — I yesterday received yours of the 25th inst., together with 
letter of instructions from our mutual friend Isaac, enclosing draft for 
$100. Have written you as many as three letters, I think, before this, and 
have received all you have sent, probably. 

The heavy freight of fifteen boxes I sent off some days ago. The 
household stuff, consisting of six boxes and one chest, I have put in good 
shape, and shall, I think, be able to get them on their way on Monday 
next, and shall myself be on my way northward within a day or two after. 

Enclosed please find list of contents of boxes, which it may be well to 
preservQ. 



20 A VOICE FROM HARPER^S FiSRR\^. 

The freight having arrived in good condition, John Henrie 
replies. 

As the Kennedy Farm is a part of history, a slight allu* 
sion to its location may not be out of place, although it 
has been so frequently spoken of as to be almost universally 
known. The Farm is located in Washington County, Mary- 
land, in a mountainous region, on the road from Cham- 
bersburg; it is in a comparatively non'-slaveholding popu- 
lation, four miles from Harper's Ferry* Yet, among the few 
traders in the souls of men located around, several circum- 
stances peculiar to the institution happened while the party 
sojourned there, which serve to show up its hideous character. 
During three weeks of my residence at the Farm, no less 
than four deaths took place among the slaves; one, Jerry, 
living three miles away, hung himself in the late Dr. Ken- 
nedy's orchard, because he was to be sold South, his master 
having become insolvent. The other three cases were homi- 
cides; they were punished so that death ensued immediately, 
or in a short time. It was the knowledge of these atrocities, 
and the melancholy suicide named, that caused Oliver Brown, 
when writing to his young wife, to refer directly to the 
deplorable aspect of slavery in that neighborhood. Once 
fairly established, and freight having arrived safely, the pub- 
lished correspondence becomes significant to an actor in the 
scene. Emigrants began to drop down, from this quarter 
and the other. Smith writes to Kagi : — 

West Andover, Ashtabula Co., 0., Wednesday, 1859. 

Friend Hexrie, — Yours of the 14th inst. I received last night — glad 
to learn that the " Wire " has arrived in good condition, and that our " R " 
friend was pleased with a view of tho.^e " pre-eventful shadows." 

Shall write Leary at once, also cur other friends at the North and East. 
Am highly pleased with the prospect I have of doing something to the 
purpose now, right away, here and in contiguous sections, in the way of 
getting stock taken. I am devoting my whole time to our work. Write 
often, and keep me posted up close. [Here follow some phonographic 



MORE CORRESPONDENCE. 21 

characters, which may be read : •'! have learned phonography, but not 
enough to correspond to any advantage. Can probably read any thing you 
may write, if written in the corresponding style."] 

Faithfully yours, JOUN SMITH. 

Please say to father to address [phonographic characters which might 
read " John Luther "] when he writes me. I wish you to see what I havo 
written him. J. S. 

THE AGENT. 

In the month of August, 1859, John Brown's Agent spent 
some time in Canada. He visited Chatham, Buxton, and 
other places, and formed Liberty Leagues, and arranged mat- 
ters so that operations could be carried on with excellent suc- 
cess, through the efficiency of Messrs. C, S., B., and L., the 
Chairman, Corresponding Secretary, Secretary 0., and 
Treasurer of the Society. He then proceeded to Detroit, 
where another Society is established. So well satisfied was 
Captain Brown with the work done, that he wrote in different 
directions : " The fields whiten unto harvest ;" and again, 
" Your friends at head-quarters want you at their elbow." 
This was an invitation by the good old man to as brave and 
efficient a laborer in the cause of human rights as the friends 
of freedom have ever known ; and to one who must yet bear 
the beacon-light of liberty before the self-emancipated bond- 
men of the South. 



CHAPTER V. 

MORE CORRESPONDENCE MY JOURNEY TO THE FERRY A GLANCE 

AT THE FAMILY. 

Preparations had so far progressed, up to the time when 
incidents mentioned in the preceding chapter had taken place, 
that Kagi wrote to Chatham and other places, urging parties 



22 A VOICE PROM harper's PERRY. 

favorable to come on without loss of time. In reply to the 
letter written to Chatham, soliciting volunteers, the appended, 
from an office-bearer, referred to my own journey to the 
South :— 

Deak Sin, — Yours came to hand last night. One hand (Anderson) 
left here last night, and will be found an efficient hand. Richardson is 
anxious to be at work as a missionary to bring sinners to repentance. Ho 
will start in a few days. Another will follow immediately after, if not 
with him. More laborers may be looked for shortly. " Slow but sure." 

Alexander has received yours, so you see all communications have come 
to hand, so far. Alexander is not coming up to the work as he agreed. 
I fear he will be found unreliable in the end. 

Dull times atfect missionary matters here more than any thing else ; 
however, a few active laborers may be looked for as certain. 

I would like to hear of your congregation numbering more than " 15 
and 2 " to commence a good revival ; still, our few will be adding strength 
to the good work. Yours, &c., J. M. B. 

To J. B., Jr. 

As set forth in this letter, I left Canada September 13th, 

and reached , in Pennsylvania, three days after. On 

my arrival, I was surprised to learn that the freight was all 
moved to head-quarters, but a few boxes, the arrival of which, 
the evening of the same day, called forth from Kagi the follow- 
ina: brief note : — 



Chamberseurg, 



J. Smith & Sons, — A quantity of freight has to-day arrived for you in 
care of Oaks & Caufman. The amount is somewhere between 2,000 and 
3,000 lbs. Charges in full, $25,98. The character is, according to man- 
ifest, 33 bundles and 4 boxes. 

I yesterday received a letter from John Smith, containing nothing of 
any particular importance, however, so I will keep it until you come up. 
Respectfully, J. HBNRIE. 

Chamberseurg, Pa., Friday, Sept. 16, 1859, ^ 
11 o'clock, A. M. S 

J. Smith and Sons, — I have just tinje to say that Mr. Anderson arrived 
in the train five minutes ago. 

Respectfully, J. HENRIE. 

P, S, I have not had time to talk with him, J, H, 



THE author's journey TO THE FERRY. 23 

A little while prior to this, * * went down to , to 

accompany Shields Green, whereupon a meeting of Capt. 
Brown, Kagi, and other distinguished persons, convened for 
consultation. 

On the 20th, four days after I reached this outpost, 
Capt. Brown, Watson Brown, Kagi, myself, and several 
friends, held another meeting, after which, on the 24th, I left 
Chambersburg for Kennedy Farm. I walked alone as far as 
Middletown, a town on the line between Maryland and Penn- 
sylvania, and it being then dark, I found Captain Brown 
awaiting with his wagon. We set out directly, and drove 
until nearly day-break the next morning, when we reached 
the Farm in safety. As a very necessary precaution against 
surprise, all the colored men at the Ferry who went from the 
North, made the journey from the Pennsylvania line in the 
night. I found all the men concerned in the undertaking on 
hand when I arrived, excepting Copeland, Leary, and Merri- 
am ; and when all had collected, a more earnest, fearless, de- 
termined company of men it would be difficult to get together. 
There, as at Chatham, I saw the same evidence of strong and 
commanding intellect, high-toned morality, and inflexibility 
of purpose in the men, and a profound and holy reverence 
for God, united to the most comprehensive, practical, system- 
atic philanthropy, and undoubted bravery in the patriarch 
leader, brought out to view in lofty grandeur by the associa- 
tions and surroundings of the place and the occasion. There 
was no milk and water sentimentality — no offensive contempt 
for the negro, while working in his cause ; the pulsations of 
each and every heart beat in harmony for the suffering and 
pleading slave. I thank God that I have been permitted to 
realize to its furthest, fullest extent, the moral, mental, phys- 
ical, social harmony of an Anti-Slavery family, carrying out 
to the letter the principles of its antetype, the Anti-Slavery 
cause. In John Brown's house, and in John Brown's pros- 



24 A VOICE fROM harper's FERRY. 

ence, men from widely different parts of the continent met 
and united into one company, wherein no hateful prejudice 
dared intrude its ugly self — no ghost of a distinction found 
space to enter. 



CHAPTER VI. 

LIFE AT KENNEDY FARM. 

To a passer-by, the house and its surroundings presented 
but indifferent attractions. Any log tenement of equal di- 
mensions would be as likely to arrest a stray glance. Rough, 
unsightly, and aged, it was only those privileged to enter and 
tarry for a long time, and to penetrate the mysteries of the 
two rooms it contained — kitchen, parlor, dining-room below, 
and the spacious chamber, attic, store-room, prison, drilling 
room, comprised in the loft above — who could tell how we 
lived at Kennedy Farm. 

Every morning, when the noble old man was at home, 
he called the family around, read from his Bible, and offered 
to God most fervent and touching supplications for all flesh ; 
and especially pathetic were his petitions in behalf of the 
oppressed. I never heard John Brown pray, that he did not 
make strong appeals to God for the deliverance of the slave. 
This duty over, the men went to the loft, there to remain all 
the day long ; few only could be seen about, as the neighbors 
were watchful and suspicious. It was also important to talk 
but little among ourselves, as visitors to the house might be 
curious. Besides the daughter and daughter-in-law, who su- 
perintended the work, some one or other of the men was reg- 
ularly detailed to assist in the cooking, washing, and other 
domestic work. After the ladies left, we did all the work, no 



LIFE AT KENNEDY FARM. 2f) 

one being exempt, because of age or official grade in tlic or- 
ganization. 

The principal employment of the prisoners, as we severally 
were when compelled to stay in the loft, was to study Forbes' 
Manual, and to go through a quiet, though rigid drill, under 
the training of Capt. Stevens, at some times. At others, we 
applied a preparation for bronzing our gun barrels — discussed 
subjects of reform — related our personal history; but when our 
resources became pretty well exhausted, the ennui from con- 
finement, imposed silence, etc., would make the men almost 
desperate. At such times, neither slavery nor slaveholders 
were discussed mincingly. We were, while the ladies remain- 
ed, often relieved of much of the dullness growing out of re- 
straint by their kindness. As we could not circulate freely, 
they would bring in wild fruit and flowers from the woods 
and fields. We were well supplied with grapes, paw-paws, 
chestnuts, and other small fruit, besides bouquets of fall flow- 
ers, through their thoughtful consideration. 

During the several weeks I remained at the encampment, 
we were under the restraint I write of through the day ; but 
at night, we sallied out for a ramble, or to breathe the fresh 
air and enjo}^ the beautiful solitude of the mountain scenery 
around, by moonlight. 

Captain Brown loved the fullest expression of opinion from 
his men, and not seldom, when a subject was being severely 
scrutinized by Kagi, Oliver, or others of the party, the old 
gentleman would be one of the most interested and earnest 
hearers. Frequently his views were severely criticised, when 
no one would be in better spirits than himself. He often re- 
marked that it was gratifying to see young men grapple with 
moral and other important questions, and express themselves 
independently ; it was evidence of self-sustaining power. 



26 A TOICE FROM HARPER's FERRY, 



CHAPTER VII. 

CAPTAIN BROWN AND J. H. KAGI GO TO PHILADELPHIA F. J. 

MERRIAM, J. COPELAND AND S. LEARY ARRIVE MATTERS 

PRECIPITATED BY INDISCRETION. 

Being obliged, from the space I propose to give to this 
narrative, to omit many incidents of my sojourn at the Farm, 
which from association are among my most pleasant recollec- 
tions, the events now to be recorded are to me invested with 
the most intense interest. A^out ten days before the capture 
of the Ferry, Captain John Brown and Kagi went to Phila- 
delphia, on business of great importance. How important, 
men there and elsewhere now know. How affected by, and 
affecting the main features of the enterprise, we at the Farm 
knew full well after their return, as the old Captain, in the 
fullness of his overflowing, saddened heart, detailed point af- 
ter point of interest. God bless the old veteran, who could 
and did chase a thousand in life, and defied more than ten 
thousand by the moral sublimity of his death ! 

On their way home, at Chambersburg, they met young F. 
J. Merriam, of Boston. Several days were spent at C, when 
Merriam left for Baltimore, to purchase some necessary arti- 
cles for the undertaking. John Copeland and Sherrard Lewis 
Leary reached Chambersburg on the 12th of October, and on 
Saturday, the 15th, at daylight, they arrived, in company with 
Kagi and Watson Brown. In the evening of the same day, 
F. J. Merriam came to the Farm. 

Saturday, the 15th, was a busy day for all hands. The 
chief and every man worked busily, packing up, and getting 
ready to remove the means of defence to the school-house, 
and for further security, as the people living around were in 
a state of excitement, from having seen a number of men 



MATTERS PRECIPITATED BY IN^BISCRETION. *27 

about the premises a few days previously. Not being fully 
satisfied as to the real business of " J. Smith & Sons " after 
that, and learning that several thousand stand of arms were 
to be removed by the Government from the Armory to some 
other point, threats to search the premises were made against 
the encampment. A tried friend having given information of 
the state of public feeling without, and of the intended pro- 
cess. Captain Brown and party concluded to strike the blow 
immediately, and not, as at first intended, to await certain re- 
inforcements from the North and East, which would have 
been in Maryland within one and three weeks. Could other 
parties, waiting for the word, have reached head-quarters in 
time for the outbreak when it took place, the taking of the 
armory, engine house, and rifle factory, would have been quite 
difi"erent. But the men at the Farm had been so closely con- 
fined, that they went out about the house and farm in the day-time 
during that week, and so indiscreetly exposed their numbers 
to the prying neighbors, who thereupon took steps to have a 
search instituted in the early part of the coming week. Capt. 
Brown was not seconded in another quarter as he expected 
at the time of the action, but could the fears of the neighbors 
have been allayed for a few days, the disappointment in the 
former respect would not have had much weight. 

The indiscretion alluded to has been greatly lamented by 
all of us, as Maryland, Virginia, and other slave States, had, 
as they now have, a direct interest in the successful issue of 
the first step. Few ultimately successful movements were 
predicated on the issue of the first bold stroke, and so it is 
with the institution of slavery. It will yet come down by 
the run, but it will not be because huzzas of victory were 
shouted over the first attempt, any more than at Bunker Hill 
or Hastings, 



28 A VOICE FROM HARPER's FERRY. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

COUNCIL MEETINGS ORDERS GIVEN THE CHARGE ETC. 

On Sunday morning, October 16tli, Captain Brown arose 
earlier than usual, and called his men down to worship. He 
read a chapter from the Bible, applicable to the condition of 
the slaves, and our duty as their brethren, and then offered 
up a fervent prayer to God to assist in the liberation of the 
bondmen in that slaveholding land. The services were im- 
pressive beyond expression. Every man there assembled 
seemed to respond from the depths of his soul, and throughout 
the entire day, a deep solemnity pervaded the place. The old 
man's usually weighty words were invested with more than 
ordinary importance, and the countenance of every man re- 
flected the momentous thought that absorbed his attention 
within. 

After breakfast had been despatched, and the roll called by 
the Captain, a sentinel was posted outside the door, to warn 
by signal if any one should approach, and we listened to pre- 
paratory remarks to a council meeting to be held that day. 
At 10 o'clock, the council was assembled. I was appointed 
to the Chair, when matters of importance were considered at 
length. After the council adjourned, the Constitution was 
read for the benefit of the few who had not before heard it, 
and the necessary oaths taken. Men who were to hold mili- 
tary positions in the organization, and who had not received 

commissions before then, had their commissions filled out by 

J. H. Kagi, and gave the required obligations. 

In the afternoon, the eleven orders presented in the next 

chapter were given by the Captain, and were afterwards 

carried out in every particular by the officers and men. 
In the evening, before setting out to the Ferry, he gave his 

final charge, in which he said, among other thino-g : ''And 



THE ORDERS OF CAPT. BROWN. !:'.» 

now^ gentlemen^ let me impress this one thinj upon your 
minds. You all know how dear life is to you, and Jiow 
dear your life is to your friends. Aiid in remember inj that, 
consider that the lives of others are as dear to them as yours 
are to you. Do not, therefore, take the life of any one, if 
you can possibly avoid it ; but if it is 7iecessary to take life 
in order to save your own, then make sure work of it.''' 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE ELEVEN ORDERS GIVEN BY CAPTAIN BROWN TO HIS MEN 
BEFORE SETTING OUT FOR THE FERRY. 

The orders given by Captain Brown, before departing from 
the Farm for the Ferry, were : — 

1. Captain Owen Brown, F. J. Merriam, and Barclay 
Coppic to remain at the old house as sentinels, to guard the 
arras and effects till morning, when they would be joined by 
some of the men from the Ferry with teams to move all arms 
and other things to the old school-house before referred to, 
located about three-quarters of a mile from Harper's Ferry 
— a place selected a day or two beforehand by the Captain. 

2. All hands to make as little noise as possible going to 
the Ferry, so as not to attract attention till we could get to 
the bridge ; and to keep all arms secreted, so as not to be 
detected if met by any one. 

3. The men were to walk in couples, at some distance 
apart ; and should any one overtake us, stop him and detain 
him until the rest of our comrades were out of the road. The 
same course to be pursued if we were met by any one. 

1. That Captains Charles P. Tidd and John E. Cook 
walk ahead of the wagon in which Captain Brown rode to the 
3 



30 A VOICE FROM HARPER's FERRY. 

Ferry, to tear down the telegraph wires on the Mar jland side 
along the railroad : and to do the same on the Virginia side, 
after the town should be captured. 

5. Captains John H. Kagi and A. D. Stevens were to 
take the watchman at the Ferry bridge prisoner when the 
party got ^there, and to detain him there until the engine 
house upon the Government grounds should be taken. 

6. Captain Watson Brown and Stewart Taylor were to 
take positions at the Potomac bridge, and hold it till morning. 
They were to stand on opposite sides, a rod apart, and if any 
one entered the bridge, they were to let him get in between 
them. In that case, pikes were to be used, not Sharp's rifles, 
unless they offered much resistance, and refused to surrender. 

7. Captains Oliver Brown and William Thompson were 
to execute a similar order at the Shenandoah bridge, until 
morning. 

8. Lieutenant Jeremiah Anderson and Adolphus Thomp- 
son were to occupy the engine house at first, with the prisoner 
watchman from the bridge and the watchman belonging to 
the engine-house yard, until the one on the opposite side oi 
the street and the rifle factory were taken, after which they 
would be reinforced, to hold that place with the prisoners. 

9. Lieutenant Albert Hazlett and Private Edwin Coppic 
were to hold the Armory opposite the engine house after it had 
been taken, through the night and until morning, when ar- 
rangements would be different. 

10. That John H. Kagi, Adjutant General, and John A. 
Copeland, (colored,) take positions at the rifle factory through 
the night, and hold it until further orders. 

11. That Colonel A. D. Stevens (the same Captain Stevens 
who held military position next to Captain Brown) proceed 
to the country with his men, and after taking certain parties 
prisoners bring them to the Ferry. In the case of Colonel 
Lewis Washington, who had arms in his hands, he must, before 



THE ORDERS OF CAPT. BROWN, 81 

being secured as a prisoner, deliver them into the luinds of 
Osborne P. Anderson. Anderson being a colored man, nnd 
colored men being only things in the South, it is proper that 
the South be taught a lesson upon this point. 

John H. Kagi being Adjutant General, was the near advi- 
ser of Captain John Brown, and second in position ; and had 
the old gentleman been slain at the Ferry, and Kagi been 
spared, the command would have devolved upon the latter. 
But Col. Stevens holding the active military position in the 
organization second to Captain Brown, when order eleven was 
given him, had the privilege of choosing his own men to exe- 
cute it. The selection was made after the capture of the 
Ferry, and then my duty to receive Colonel AVashington's 
famous arms was assigned me by Captain Brown. The men 
selected by Col. Stevens to act under his orders during the 
night were Charles P. Tidd, Osborne P. Anderson, Shields 
Green, John E. Cook, and Sherrard Lewis Leary. We were 
to take prisoners, and any slaves who would come, and bring 
them to the Ferry. 

A few days before, Capt. Cook had travelled along the 
Charlestown turnpike, and collected statistics of the popula- 
tion of slaves and the masters' names. Among the masters 
whose acquaintance Cook had made, Colonel Washington had 
received him politely, and had shown him a sword formerly 
owned by Frederic the Great of Prussia, and presented by 
him to Genl. Washington, and a pair of horse pistols, former- 
ly owned by General Lafayette, and bequeathed by the old 
General to Lewis Washington. These were the arms specially 
referred to in the charge. 

At eight o'clock on Sunday evening, Captain Brown said : 
" Men, get on your arms ; we will proceed to the Ferry." 
His horse and wagon were brought out before the door, and 
some pikes, a sledge-hammer and crowbar were placed in it 
The Captain then put on his old Kansas cap, and said : 



82 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 

" Come, boys ! '* when we marched out of the camp behind 
him, into the lane leading down the hill to the main road. 
As we formed the procession line, Owen Brown, Barclay 
Coppic, and Francis J. Merriam, sentinels left behind to 
protect the place as before stated, came forward and took 
leave of us ; after which, agreeably to previous orders, and as 
they were better acquainted with the topography of the Ferry, 
and to effect the tearing down of the telegraph wires, C. P. 
Tidd and John E. Cook led the procession. While going to 
the Ferry, the company marched along as solemnly as a fune- 
ral procession, till we got to the bridge. When we entered, 
we halted, and carried out an order to fasten our cartridge 
boxes outside of our clothes, when every thing was ready for 
taking the town. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE CAPTURE OF HARPER'S FERRY COL, A. D. STEVENS AND 

PARTY SALLY OUT TO THE PLANTATIONS WHAT WE SAW, 

HEARD, dId, ETC. 

As John H. Kagi and A. D. Stevens entered the bridge, 
as ordered in the fifth charge, the watchman, being at the 
other end, came toward them with a lantern in his hand. 
When up to them, they told him he was their prisoner, and 
detained him a few minutes, when he asked them to spare his 
life. They replied, they did not intend to harm him ; the ob- 
ject was to free the slaves, and he would have to submit to 
them for a time, in order that the purpose might be carried 
out. 

Captain Brown now entered the bridge in his wagon, follow- 
ed by the rest of us, until we reached that part where Kagi 
and Stevens held their prisoner, when he ordered Watson 



CAPTURE OF THE FERKY. 83 

Brown and Stewart Taylor to take the positions assigned them 
in order sixth, and the rest of us to proceed to the en<^inc 
house. We started for the engine house, taking the prisoner 
along with us. When we neared the gates of the engine- 
house yard, we found them locked, and the watchman on the 
inside. He was told to open the gates, but refused, and com- 
menced to cry. The men were then ordered by Captain 
Brown to open the gates forcibly, which was done, and the 
watchman taken prisoner. The two prisoners were left in the 
custody of Jerry Anderson and Adolphus Thompson, and A. 
D. Stevens arranged the men to take possession of the Armory 
and rifle factory. About this time, there was apparently 
much excitement. People were passing back and forth in 
the town, and before we could do much, we had to take seve- 
ral prisoners. After the prisoners were secured, we passed 
to the opposite side of the street and took the Armory, and 
Albert Hazlett and Edwin Coppic were ordered to hold it 
for the time being. 

The capture of the rifle factory was the next work to be 
done. When we went there, we told the watchman who was 
outside of the building our business, and asked him to go along 
with us, as we had come to take possession of the town, and 
make use of the Armory in carrying out our object. He 
obeyed the command without hesitation. John H. Kagi and 
John Copeland were placed in the Armory, and the prisoners 
taken to the engine house. Following the capture of the 
Armory, Oliver Brown and William Thompson were ordered 
to take possession of the bridge leading out of town, across 
the Shenandoah river, which they immediately did. These 
places were all taken, and the prisoners secured, without the 
snap of a gun, or any violence whatever. 

The town being taken. Brown, Stevens, and the men who 
had no post in charge, returned to the engine house, where 
council was held, after which Captain Stevens, Tidd, Cook, 



84 A VOICE rnoM harper's ferry. 

Shields Green, Learj and myself went to the country. On 
the road, we met some colored men, to whom we made known 
our purpose, when they immediately agreed to join us. They 
said they had been long waiting for an opportunity of the kind. 
Stevens then asked them to go around among the colored 
people and circulate the news, when each started off in a dif- 
ferent direction. The result was that many colored men gath- 
ered to the scene of action. The first prisoner taken by us 
was Colonel Lewis Washington. When we neared his house, 
Capt. Stevens placed Leary and Shields Grreen to guard the 
approaches to the house, the one at the side, the other in 
front. We then knocked, but no one answering, although fe- 
males were looking from upper windows, we entered the build- 
ing and commenced a search for the proprietor. Col. Wash- 
ington opened his room door, and begged us not to kill him. 
Capt. Stevens replied, " You are our prisoner," when he 
stood as if speechless or petrified. Stevens further told him 
to get ready to go to the Ferry ; that he had come to abolish 
slavery, not to take life but in self-defence, but that he must 
go along. The Colonel replied : " You can have my slaves, 
if you will let me remain." " No," said the Captain, " you 
must go along too ; so get ready." After saying this, Ste- 
vens left the house for a time, and with Green, Leary and 
Tidd, proceeded to the " Quarters," giving the prisoner in 
charge of Cook and myself The male slaves were gathered 
together in a short time, when horses were tackled to the 
Colonel's two-horse carriage and four-horse wagon, and both 
vehicles brought to the front of the house. 

During this time, Washington was walking the floor, ap- 
parently much excited. When the Captain came in, he went 
to the sideboard, took out his whiskey, and oiFered us some- 
thing to drink, but he was refused. His fire-arms were next 
demanded, when he brought forth one double-barrelled gun, 
one small rifle, two horse-pistols and a sword. Nothing else 



CAPT. STEVENS AND PARTY VISIT THE COUNTRY, ..:) 

was asked of him. The Colonel cried heartily when he luuiid 
he must submit, and appeared taken aback when, on deliver- 
ing up the famous sword formerly presented l)y Frederic to 
his illustrious kinsman, George Washington, Capt. Stevens 
told me to step forward and take it. Washington was se- 
cured and placed in his wagon, the women of the family mak- 
ing great outcries, when the party drove forward to Mr. John 
Allstadt's. After making known our business to him, lie 
went into as great a fever of excitement as Washington had 
done. We could have his slaves, also, if we would only leave 
him. This, of course, was contrary to our plans and instruc- 
tions. He hesitated, puttered around, fumbled and meditated 
for a long time. At last, seeing no alternative, he got ready, 
when the slaves were gathered up from about the quarters by 
their own consent, and all placed in Washington's big wagon 
and returned to the Ferry. 

One old colored lady, at whose house we stopped, a little 
way from the town, had a good time over the message we took 
her. This liberating the slaves was the very thing she had 
longed for, prayed for, and dreamed about, time and again ; 
and her heart was full of rejoicing over the fulfilment of a 
prophecy which had been her faith for long years. While we 
were absent from the Ferry, the train of cars for Baltim.ore 
arrived, and was detained. A colored man named Haywood, 
employed upon it, went from the Wager House up to the en- 
trance to the bridge, where the train stood, to assist with the 
baggage. He was ordered to stop by the sentinels stationed 
at the bridge, which he refused to do, but turned to go in an 
opposite direction, when he was fired upon, and received a 
mortal wound. Had he stood when ordered, he would not 
have been harmed. No one knew at the time whether he 
was white or colored, but his movements were such as to jus- 
tify the sentinels in shooting him, as he would not stop when 
commanded. The first firing happened at that time, and the 
only firing, until after daylight on Monday morning. 



36 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRT. 



CHAPTER XI. 

THE EVENTS OF MONDAY, OCT. 17 ARMING THE SLATES TER- 
ROR IN THE SLAYEHOLDING CAMP IMPORTANT LOSSES TO 

OUR PARTY THE FATE OF KAGI PRISONERS ACCUMULATE 

WORKMEN AT THE KENNEDY FARM ETC. 

Monday, the 17tli of October, was a time of stirring 
and exciting events. In consequence of the movements of 
the night before, we were prepared for commotion and tumult, 
but certainly not for more than we beheld around us. Gray 
dawn and yet brighter daylight revealed great confusion, and 
as the sun arose, the panic spread like wild-fire. Men, wo- 
men and children could be seen leaving their homes in every 
direction ; some seeking refuge among residents, and in quar- 
ters further away, others climbing up the hill-sides, and hur- 
rying off in various directions, evidently impelled by a sud- 
den fear, which was plainly visible in their countenances or 
in their movements. 

Capt. Brown was all activity, though I could not help 
thinking that at times he appeared somewhat puzzled. He 
ordered Sherrard Lewis Leary, and four slaves, and a free 
man belonging in the neighborhood, to join John Henry Kagi 
and John Copeland at the rifle factory, which they imme- 
diately did. Kagi, and all except Copeland, were subse- 
quently killed, but not before having communicated with 
Capt. Brown, as will be set forth further along. 

x\s fast as the workmen came to the building, or persons 
appeared in the street near the engine house, they were 
taken prisoners, and directly after sunrise, the detained train 
was permitted to start for the eastward. After the departure 
of the train, quietness prevailed for a short time ; a number 
of prisoners were already in the engine hoiLso, aud of the 



TE?vROIl IN THE SLAVEnOLDINCJ CAIMP. 37 

many colored men living in the neighborhood, who had as- 
sembled in the town, a number were armed for the work. 

Capt. Brown ordered Capts. Charles P. Tidd, Wm. II. 
Leeman, John E. Cook, and some fourteen slaves, to take 
Washington's four-horse wagon, and to join the company 
under Capt. Owen Brown, consisting of F. J. Merriain and 
Barclay Coppic, who had been left at the Farm the night 
previous, to guard the place and the arms. The company, 
thus reinforced, proceeded, under Owen Brown, to move the 
arms and goods from the Farm down to the school -house in 
the mountains, three-fourths of a mile from the Ferry. 

Capt. Brown next ordered me to take the pikes out of the 
wagon in which he rode to the Ferry, and to place them in 
the hands of the colored men who had come with us from the 
plantations, and others who had come forward without having 
had communication with any of our party. It was out of 
the circumstances connected with the fulfilment of this order, 
that the false charge against " Anderson " as leader, or 
*' ringleader," of the negroes, grew. 

The spectators, about this time, became apparently wild 
with fright and excitement. The number of prisoners was 
magnified to hundreds, and the judgment-day could not have 
presented more terrors, in its awful and certain prospective 
punishment to the justly condemned for the wicked deeds of 
a life-time, the chief of which would no doubt be slavehold- 
ing, than did Capt. Brown's operations. 

The prisoners were also terror-stricken. Some wanted to 
go home to see their families, as if for the last time. The 
privilege was granted them, under escort, and they were 
brought back again. Edwin Coppic, one of the sentinels at 
the Armory gate, was fired at by one of the citizens, but 
the ball did not reach him, when one of the insurgents close 
by put up his rifle, and made the enemy bite the dust. 

Among the arras taken from Col. Washington was one 
3# 



38 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 

double-barrel gun. This weapon was loaded by Leeman 
with buckshot, and placed in the hands of an elderly slave 
man, early in the morning. After the cowardly charge upon 
Coppic, this old man was ordered by Capt. Stevens to arrest 
a citizen. The old man ordered him to halt, which he re- 
fused to do, when instantly the terrible load was discharged 
into him, and he fell, and expired without a struggle. 

After these incidents, time passed away till the arrival of 
the United States troops, without any further attack upon us. 
The cowardly Virginians submitted like sheep, without re- 
sistance, from that time until the marines came down. Mean- 
while, Capt. Brown, who was considering a proposition for 
release from his prisoners, passed back and forth from the 
Armory to the bridge, speaking words of comfort and encour- 
agement to his men. " Hold on a little longer, boys," said 
he, " until I get matters arranged with the prisoners." This 
tardiness on the part of our brave leader was sensibly felt to 
be an omen of evil by some us, and was eventually the cause 
of our defeat. It was no part of the original plan to hold 
on to the Ferry, or to parley with prisoners ; but by so doing, 
time was aiforded to carry the news of its capture to several 
points, and forces were thrown into the place, which sur- 
rounded us. 

At eleven o'clock, Capt. Brown despatched William Thomp- 
son from the Ferry up to Kennedy Farm, with the news that 
we had peaceful possession of the town, and with directions 
to the men to continue on moving the things. He went ; but 
before he could get back, troops had begun to pour in, and 
the general encounter commenced. 



RECEPTION TO THE TROOPS. 89 

CHAPTER XII. 

RECEPTION TO THE TROOPS THEY RETREAT TO THE IJUTDflE 

A PRISONER DEATH OP DANGERFIELD NEM15Y WILLIAM 

THOMPSON THE MOUNTAINS ALIVE FLAG OF TRUCE THE 

ENGINE HOUSE TAKEN. 

It was about twelve o'clock in the day when we were first j 
attacked by the troops. Prior to that, Capt. Brown, in an-' 
ticipation of further trouble, had girded to his side the 
famous sword taken from Col. Lewis Washington the night 
before, and with that memorable weapon, he commanded his 
men against General Washington's own State. 

When the Captain received the news that the troops had 
entered the bridge from the Maryland side, he, with some of 
his men, went into the street, and sent a message to the Ar- 
senal for us to come forth also. We hastened to the street as 
ordered, when he said — "The troops are on the bridge, com- \ 
ing into town ; we will give them a warm reception." He 1 
then walked around amongst us, giving us words of encour- 
agement, in this wise : — " Men ! be cool ! Don't waste your 
powder and shot ! Take aim, and make every shot count ! " 
" The troops will look for us to retreat on their first appear- 
ance; be careful to shoot first." Our men were well sup- 
plied with firearms, but Capt. Brown had no rifle at that 
time ; his only weapon was the sword before mentioned. 

The troops soon came out of the bridge, and up the street 
facing us, we occupying an irregular position. When they 
got within sixty or seventy yards, Capt. Brown said, " Let 
go upon them ! " which we did, when several of them fell 
Again and again the dose was repeated. 

There was now consternation among the troops. From 
marching in solid martial columns, they became scattered. 
Some hastened to seize upon and bear up the wounded and 



40 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 

djing, — several lay dead upon the ground. They seemed 
not to realize, at first, that we would fire upon them, but ev- 
idently expected we would be driven out by them without 
firing. Capt. Brown seemed fully to understand the matter, 
and hence, very properly and in our defence, undertook to 
forestall their movements. The consequence of their unex- 
pected reception was, after leaving several of their dead on 
the field, they beat a confused retreat into the bridge, and 
there stayed under cover until reinforcements came to the 
Ferry. 

On the retreat of the troops, we were ordered back to our 
former post. While going, Dangerfield Newby, one of our 
colored men, was shot through the head by a person who took 
aim at him from a brick store window, on the opposite side 
of the street, and who was there for the purpose of firing 
upon us. Newby was a brave fellow. He was one of my 
comrades at the Arsenal. He fell at my side, and his death 
was promptly avenged by Shields Grreen, the Zouave of the 
band, who afterwards met his fate calmly on the gallows, 
with John Copeland. Newby was shot twice; at the first 
fire, he fell on his side and returned it; as he lay, a second 
shot was fired, and the ball entered his head. Green raised 
his rifle in an instant, and brought down the cowardly mur- 
derer, before the latter could get his gun back through the 



There was comparative quiet for a time, except that the 
citizens seemed to be wild with terror. Men, women and 
children forsook the place in great haste, climbing up hill- 
sides and scaling the mountains. The latter seemed to be 
alive with white fugitives, fleeing from their doomed city 
Daring this time, Wm. Thompson, who was returning from 
his errand to the Kennedy Farm, was surrounded on the 
bridge by the railroad men, who next came up, taken a pris- 
oner to the Wager House, tied hand and foot, and, at a late 



COWARDICE OF TIIK VIROINIANR. 



41 



hour of the afternoon, cruelly murdered by l)eing ridtlled 
with balls, and thrown headlong on the rocks. 

Late in the morning, some of his prisoners told Capt. 
Brown that they would like to have breakfast, when ho sent 
word forthwith to the Wager House to that effect, and they 
were supplied. He did not order breakfast for hinisolf and 
men, as was currently but falsely stated at the time, as he 
suspected foul play ; on the contrary, when solicited to have 
breakfast so provided for him, he refused. 

Between two and three o'clock in the afternoon, armed | 
men could be seen coming from every direction ; soldiers ) 
were marching and counter-marching ; and on the mountains, 
a host of blood-thirsty ruffians swarmed, waiting for their 
opportunity to pounce upon the little band. The fighting 
commenced in earnest after the arrival of fresh troops. Vol- 
ley upon volley was discharged, and the echoes from the hills, 
the shrieks of the townspeople, and the groans of their 
wounded and dying, all of which filled the air, were truly 
frightful. The Virginians may well conceal their losses, 
and Southern chivalry may hide its brazen head, for their 
boasted bravery was well tested that day, and in no way to 
their advantage. It is remarkable, that except that one fool- 
hardy colored man was reported buried, no other funeral is 
mentioned, although the Mayor and other citizens are known 
to have fallen. Had they reported the true number, their 
disgrace would have been more apparent ; so they wisely (?) 
concluded to be silent. 

The fight at Harper's Ferry also disproved the current idea 
that slaveholders will lay down their lives for their property. 
Col. Washington, the representative of the old hero, stood 
" blubbering^' like a great calf at supposed danger ; while 
the laboring white classes and non-slaveholders, with the ma- 
rines, (mostly gentlemen from " furrin " parts,) were the men 
who faced the bullets of John Brown and his men. Hardly 



42 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 

the skin of a slaveholder could be scratched in open fight ; 
the cowards kept out of the way until danger was passed, 
sending the poor whites into the pitfalls, while they were re- 
served for the bragging, and to do the safe but cowardly ju- 
dicial murdering afterwards. 

As strangers poured in, the enemy took po«itions round 
about, so as to prevent any escape, within shooting distance 
of the engine house and Arsenal. Capt. Brown, seeing their 
manoeuvres, said: "We will hold on to our three positions, 
if they are unwilling to come to terms, and die like men." 

All this time, the fight was progressing; no powder and 
ball were wasted. We shot from under cover, and took 
deadly aim. For an hour before the flag of truce was sent 
out, the firing was uninterrupted, and one and another of the 
enemy were constantly dropping to the earth. 

One of the Captain's plans was to keep up communi- 
cation between his three points. In carrying out this idea, 
Jerry Anderson went to the rifle factory, to see Kagi and 
his men. Kagi, fearing that we would be overpowered by 
numbers if the Captain delayed leaving, sent word by Ander- 
son to advise him to leave the town at once. This word 
Anderson communicated to the Captain, and told us also at 
the Arsenal. The message sent back to Kagi was, to hold 
out for a few minutes longer, when we would all evacute the 
place. Those few minutes proved disastrous, for then it 
was that the troops before spoken of came pouring in, in- 
creased by crowds of men from the surrounding country. 
After an hour's hard fighting, and when the enemy were 
blocking up the avenues of escape, Capt. Brown sent out his 
son Watson with a flag of truce, but no respect was paid to 
it ; he was fired upon, and wounded severely. He returned 
to the engine house, and fought bravely after that for fully an 
hour and a half, when he received a mortal wound, which he 
struggled under until the next day. The contemptible and 



CAPTURE OP STEVENS. 43 

savage manner in which the flag of truce had Ijoch received, 
induced severe measures in our defence, in the hour and :i half 
before the next one was sent out. The effect of our work 
was, that the troops ceased to fire at the buildings, as we 
clearly had the advantage of position. 

Capt. A. D. Stevens was next sent out with a flag, with 
what success I will presently show. Meantime, Jereniiah 
Anderson, who had brought the message from Kagi previous- 
ly, was sent by Capt. Brown with another message to John 
Henrie, but before he got far on the street, he was fired upon 
and wounded. He returned at once to the engine house, 
where he survived but a short time. The ball, it was found, 
had entered the right side in such manner that death neces- 
sarily ensued speedily. 

Capt. Stevens was fired upon several times while carrying 
his flag of truce, and received severe wounds, as I was in- 
formed that day, not being myself in a position to see him 
after. He was captured, and taken to the Wager House, 
where he was kept until the close of the struggle in the eve- 
ning, when he was placed with the rest of our party who had 
been captured. 

After the capture of Stevens, desperate fighting was done 
by both sides. The marines forced their way inside the 
engine-house yard, and commanded Capt. Brown to surren- 
der, which he refused to do, but said in reply, that he was 
willing to fight them, if they would allow him first to with- 
draw his men to the second lock on the Maryland side. As 
might be expected, the cowardly hordes refused to entertain 
such a proposition, but continued their assault, to cut off 
communication between our several parties. The men at the 
Kennedy Farm having received such a favorable message in 
the early part of the day, through Thompson, were ignorant 
of the disastrous state of affairs later in the day. Could 
they have known the truth, and come down in time, the result 



44 A VOICE FROM HARPER's FERRY. 

would have been, very different; we should not have been 
captured that day. A handful of determined men, as they 
were, by taking a position on the Maryland side, when the 
troops made their attack and retreated to the bridge for 
shelter, would have placed the enemy between two fires. 
Thompson's news prevented them from hurrying down, as they 
otherv^ise would have done, and thus deprived us of able 
assistance from Owen Brown, a host in himself, and Tidd, 
Merriam and Coppic, the brave fellows composing that band. 
The climax of murderous assaults on that memorable day 
was the final capture of the engine house, with the old Cap- 
tain and his handful of associates. This outrageous bur- 
lesque upon civilized warfare must have a special chapter to 
itself, as it concentrates more of Southern littleness and cow- 
ardice than is often believed to be true. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

THE CAPTURE OF CAPTAIN JOHN BROWN AT THE ENGINE HOUSE. 

One great difference between savages and civilized nations 
is, the improved mode of warfare adopted by the latter. 
Flags of truce are always entitled to consideration, and an 
attacking party would make a wide departure from military 
usage, were they not to give opportunity for the besieged to 
capitulate, or to surrender at discretion. Looking at the 
Harper's Ferry combat in the light of civilized usage, even 
where one side might be regarded as insurrectionary, the 
brutal treatment of Captain Brown and his men in the charge 
by the marines on the engine house is deserving of severest 
condemnation, and is one of those blood-thirsty occurrences, 
dark enough in depravity to disgrace a century. 



CAPTURE OF JOHN BROWN. 45 

Captain Ilazlett and myself being in the Ar.st;ii:il ()j»|.ositc, 
saw the charge upon the engine house with tho ladtlcr, \vl\i<h 
resulted in opening the doors to the marines, and llnully in 
Brown's capture. The old hero and his men were hacked 
and wounded with indecent rao-e, and at last brou<!;ht out of 
the house and laid prostrate upon the gi'ound, manjzlcd and 
bleeding as they were. A formal surrender was rc(|uircd ol' 
Captain Brown, which he refused, knowing how little favor 
he would receive, if unarmed, at the hands of that infuriated 
mob. All of our party who went from the Farm, save the 
Captain, Shields Green, Edwin Coppic and Watson Brown, 
(who had received a mortal wound some time before,) the 
men at the Farm, and Hazlett and I, were either dead or 
captured before this time ; the particulars of whose fate we 
learned still later in the day, as I shall presently show. Of 
the four prisoners taken at the engine house. Shields Green, the 
most inexorable of all our party, a very Turco in his hatred 
against the stealers of men, was under Captain Hazlett, 
and consequently of our little band at the Arsenal ; but when 
we were ordered by Captain Brown to return to our positions, 
after having driven the troops into the bridge, he mistook the 
order, and went to the engine house instead of with his own 
party. Had he remained with us, he might have eluded the 
vigilant Virginians. As it was^ he was doomed, as is well- 
known, and became a free-will offering for freedom, with his 
comrade, John Copeland. Wiser and better men no doubt 
there were, but a braver man never lived than Shields 
Green. 



46 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

SETTING FORTH REASONS WHY 0. P. ANDERSON AND A. HAZLETT 
ESCAPED FROM THE ARSENAL, INSTEAD OF RExMAINING, WHEN 

THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO TOOK A PRISONER, AND WHAT 

RESULTED TO THEM, AND TO THIS NARRATIVE, THEREFROM A 

PURSUIT, WHEN SOMEBODY GOT KILLED, AND OTHER BODIES 
WOUNDED. 

Of the six men assigned a position in the arsenal by Cap- 
tain Brown, four were either slain or captured ; and Hazlett 
and myself, the only ones remaining, never left our position 
until we saw, with feelings of intense sadness, that we could 
be of no further avail to our commander, he being a prisoner 
in the hands of the Virginians. We therefore, upon consul- 
tation, concluded it was better to retreat while it was possi- 
ble, as our work for the day was clearly finished, and gain a 
position where in the future we could work with better suc- 
cess, than to recklessly invite capture and brutality at the 
hands of our enemies. The charge of deserting our brave old 
leader and of fleeing from danger has been circulated to our 
detriment, but I have the consolation of knowing that, 
reckless as were the half-civilized hordes against whom we 
contended the entire day, and much as they might wish to 
disparage his men, they would never have thus charged us. 
They know better. John Brown's men at Harper's Ferry 
were and are a unit in their devotion to John Brown and the 
cause he espoused. To have deserted him would have been 
to belie every manly characteristic for which Albert Hazlett, 
at least, was known by the party to be distinguished, at the 
same time that it would have endangered the future safety of 
such deserter or deserters. John Brown gave orders; those 
orders must be obeyed, so long as Captain Brown was in a po- 
sition to enforce them ; once unable to command, from death, 



A PRISONER TAKEN. J.' 

being a prisoner, or otherwise, the command devolved upon 
John Henry Kagi. Before Captain Brown was made prison- 
er, Captain Kagi had ceased to live, though had he been liv- 
ing, all communication between our post and him had been 
long cut off. We could not aid Captain Brown by remain- 
ing. We might, by joining the men at the Farm, devise plans 
for his succor ; or our experience might become available on 
some future occasion. 

The charge of running away from danger could only find 
form in the mind of some one unwilling to encounter the dif- 
ficulties of a Harper's Ferry campaign, as no one acquainted 
with the out-of-door and in-door encounters of that day will 
charge any one with wishing to escape danger, merely. It is 
well enough for men out of danger, and who could not be in- 
duced to run the risk of a scratching, to talk flippantly about 
cowardice, and to sit in judgment upon the men who went with 
John Brown, and who did not ftiU into the hands of the Vir- 
ginians ; but to have been there, fought there, and to under- 
stand what did transpire there, are quite different. As Capt. 
Brown had all the prisoners with him, the whole force of the 
enemy was concentrated there, for a time, after the capture 
of the rifle factory. Having captured our commander, we 
knew that it was but little two of us could do against so many, 
and that our turn to be taken must come; so Hazlett and I 
went out at the back part of the building, climbed up the 
wall, and went upon the railway. Behind us, in the Arse- 
nal, were thousands of dollars, we knew full well, but that 
wealth had no charms for us, and we hastened to communi- 
cate with the men sent to the Kennedy Farm. We travelled 
up the Shenandoah along the railroad, and overtook one of 
the citizens. He was armed, and had been in the fight in the 
afternoon. We took him prisoner, in order to facilitate our 
escape. He submitted without resistance, and quietly gave 
up his gun. From bim, we learned substantially of the final 



48 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 

struggle at the rifle factory, where the noble Kagi command- 
ed. The number of citizens killed was, according to his 
opinion, much larger than either Hazlett or I had supposed, 
although we knew there were a great many killed and wound- 
ed together. He said there must be at least seventy killed, 
besides wounded. Hazlett had said there must be fifty, taking 
into account the defence of the three strong positions. I do 
not know positively, but would not put the figure below thirty 
killed, seeing many fall as I did, and knowing the " dead 
aim " principle upon which we defended ourselves. One of 
the Southern published accounts, it will be remembered, said 
twenty citizens were killed, another said fifteen. At last it 
got narrowed down to five, which was simply absurd, after so 
long an engagement. We had forty rounds apiece when we 
went to the Ferry, and when Hazlett and I left, we had not 
more than twenty rounds between us. The rest of the party 
were as free with their ammunition as we were, if not more so. 
We had further evidence that the number of dead was larger 
than published, from the many that we saw lying dead around. 
When we had gone as far as the foot of the mountains, our 
prisoner begged us not to take his life, but to let him go at 
liberty. He said we might keep his gun ; he would not in- 
form on us. Feeling compassion for him, and trusting to his 
honor, we suff'ered him to go, when he went directly into 
town, and finding every thing there in the hands of our ene- 
^mies, he informed on us, and we were pursued. After he had 
eft us, we crawled or climbed up among the rocks in the 
mountains, some hundred yards or more from the spot where we 
left him, and hid ourselves, as we feared treach ery, en fccccnd 
thought. A few minutes before dark, the troops came in 
search of us. They came to the foot of the mountains, march- 
ed and counter-marched, but never attempted to search the 
m ountains ; we supposed from their movements that they fear 
ed a host of armed enemies in concealment. Their air was 



THE ENCOUNTER AT THE RIFLE FACTORY. 40 

SO defiant, and their errand so distasteful to us, that we (•on- 
eluded to apply a little ammunition to their case, and having 
a few cartridges on hand, we poured from our excellent posi- 
tion in the rocky wilds, some well-directed shots. It was 
not so dark but that we could see one bite the dust now :irid 
then, when others would run to aid them instantly, particular- 
ly the wounded. Some lay where they fell, undisturbed, 
which satisfied us that they were dead. The troops returned 
our fire, but it was random shooting, as we were concealed 
from their sight by the rocks and bushes. Interchanging of 
shots continued for some minutes, with much spirit, when it 
became quite dark, and they went down into the town. After 
their return to the Ferry, we could hear the drum beating for 
a long time ; an indication of their triumph, we supposed. 
Hazlett and I remained in our position three hours, before we 
dared venture down. 



CHAPTEB. XV. 

THE ENCOUNTER AT THE RIFLE FACTORY. 

As stated in a previous chapter, the command of the rifle 
factory was given to Captain Kagi. Under him were John 
Copeland, Sherrard Lewis Leary, and three colored men from 
the neighborhood. At an early hour, Kagi saw from his po- 
sition the danger in remaining, with our small company, until 
assistance could come to the inhabitants. Hence his sugges- 
tion to Captain Brown, through Jeremiah Anderson, to leave. 
His position being more isolated than the others, was the first 
to invite an organized attack with success ; the Virginians 
first investing the factory with their hordes, before the final 
success at the engine house. From the prisoner taken by us 



50 A VOICE FROM HARPEH'g FESRY. 

who had participated in the assault upcn ivtigfs position, w> 
received the sad details of the slanriiter oi cur oravo compan- 
ions. Seven different times during tno uay tiioy were fired 
upon, while they occupied tno interior pare ci ine building, 
the insurgents defending liiemsclve;] \Tith. groat courage, kill- 
ing and wounding with lidsn precision. At last, overwhelm- 
ing numbers, as many as five iinndrea, cur informant told us, 
blocked up the front of the buil-^ir.sr, Mattered the doors down, 
and forced their way into the interior. The insurgents were 
then forced to retreat the back way, fighting, however, all the 
time. They were pursued, when they took to the river, 
and it being so shallow, they waded out to a rock, mid-way, and 
there made a stand, being completely hemmed in, front and 
rear. Some four or five hundred shots, said our prisoner, 
were fired at them before they were conquered. They would 
not surrender into the hands of the enemy, but kept on fight- 
ing until every one was killed, except John Copeland. See- 
ing he could do no more, and that all his associates were 
murdered, he suffered himself to be captured. The party at 
the rifle factory fought desperately till the last, from their 
perch on the rock. Slave and free, black and white, carried 
out the special injunction of the brave old Captain, to make 
sure work of it. The unfortunate targets for so many bullets 
from the enemy, some of them received two or three balls. 
There fell poor Kagi, the friend and adviser of Captain 
Brown in his most trying positions, and the cleverest man in 
the party ; and there also fell Sherrard Lewis Leary, generous- 
hearted and companionable as he was, and in that and other 
difficult positions, brave to desperation. There fought John 
Copeland, who met his fate like a man. But they were all 
"honorable men," noble, noble fellows, who fought and died 
for the most holy principles. John Copeland was taken to 
the guard-house, where the other prisoners afterwards were, 
and thence to Charlestown jail. His subsequent mockerv of 



ESCAPE FROM VllKJINIA. ,i| 

a trial, sentence and execution, with Iuh conn)ani()n Sliiclds 
Green, on the 16th of December — arc they not part of tlie 
dark deeds of this era, which will assign their peri)etrator.M to 
infamy, and cause after generations to blusn at the remem- 
brance? 



CHAPTER XVI. 

OUR ESCAPE FROM TIRGINIA HAZLETT BREAKS DOWN FROM 

FATIGUE AND HUNGER NAllROW ESCAPE IN VENNSYLVANIA. 

I HAVE said elsewhere, that Hazlett and I crossed over to 
the Maryland side, after the skirmish with the troops about 
nightfall. To be more circumstantial : when we descended 
from the rocks, we passed through the back part of the Ferry 
ou the hill, down to the railroad, proceeding as far as the 
saw-mill on the Virginia side, where we came upon an old 
boat tied up to the shore, which we cast off, and crossed the 
Potomac. The Maryland shore once gained, we passed along 
the tow-path of the canal for some distance, when we came to 
an arch, which led through under the canal, and thence to the 
Kennedy Farm, hoping to find something to eat, and to meet 
the men who had been stationed on that side. When we 
reached the farm-house, all our expectations were disappoint- 
ed. The old house had been ransacked and deserted, the pro- 
visions taken away, with every thing of value to the insur- 
gents. Thinking that we should fare better at the school- 
house, we bent our steps in that direction. The night was 
dark and rainy, and after tramping for an hour and a half, 
at least, we came up to the school-house. This was about two 
o'clock in the morning. The school-house was packed with 
things moved there by the party the previous day, but we 



52 



A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 



searched in vain, after lighting a match, for food, our great 
necessity, or for our young companions in the struggle. 
Thinking it unsafe to remain in the school-house, from fear 
of oversleeping ourselves, we climbed up the mountain in 
the rear of it, to lie down till daylight. 

It was after sunrise some time when we awoke in the 
morning. The first sound we heard was shooting at the 
Ferry. Hazlett thought it must be Owen Brown and his 
men trying to force their way into the town, as they had been 
informed that a number of us had been taken prisoners, and 
we started down along the ridge to join them. When we got 
in sight of the Ferry, we saw the troops firing across the 
river to the Maryland side with considerable spirit. Looking 
closely, we saw, to our surprise, that they were firing upon a 
few of the colored men, who had been armed the day before 
by our men, at the Kennedy Farm, and stationed down at the 
school-house by C. P. Tidd. They were in the bushes on the 
edge of the mountains, dodging about, occasionally exposing 
themselves to the enemy. The troops crossed the bridge in 
pursuit of them, but they retreated in difierent directions. 
Being further in the mountains, and more secure, we could 
see without personal harm befalling us. One of the colored 
men came towards where we were, when we hailed him, and 
inquired the particulars. He said that one of his comrades 
had been shot, and was lying on the side of the mountains ; 
that they thought the men who had armed them the day 
before must be in the Ferry. That opinion, we told him, 
was not correct. We asked him to join with us in hunting 
up the rest of the party, but he declined, and went his way. 

While we were in this part of the mountains, some of the 
troops went to the school-house, and took possession of it. 
On our return along up the ridge, from our position, screened 
by the bushes, we could see them as they invested it. Our 
last hope of shelter, or of meeting our companions, now 



HAZLKTT BllEAKS DUWX. .)•► 

being destroyed, we concluded to make our escape North. , 
We started at once, and wended our way along until dark, i 
without being fortunate enough to overtake our friends, or to 
get any thing to eat. As may be supposed, from such inces- 
sant activity, and not having tasted a morsel for forty-eight 
hours, our appetites were exceedingly keen. So hungry worn 
we, that we sought out a cornfield, under cover of the night, 
gathered some of the ears, — which, by the way, were 
pretty well hardened, — carried them into the mountains, — 
our fortunate resource, — and, having matches, struck fire, 
and roasted and feasted. 

During our perilous and fatiguing journey to Pennsylva- 
nia, and for some time after crossing the line, our only food 
was corn roasted in the ear, often difficult to get without risk, 
and seldom eaten but at long intervals. As a result of this 
poor diet and the hard journey, we became nearly famished, 
and very much reduced in bodily strength. Poor Hazlett 
could not bear the privations as I could ; he was less inured to 
physical exertion, and was of rather slight form, though in- 
clined to be tall. With his feet blistered and sore, he held 
out as long as he could, but at last gave out, completely 
broken down, ten miles below Chambersburg. He declared 
it was impossible for him to go further, and begged me to go 
on, as we should be more in danger if seen together in the 
vicinity of the towns. He said, after resting that night, he 
would throw away his rifle, and go to Chambersburg in the 
stage next morning, where we agreed to meet again. The 
poor young man's face was wet with tears when we parted. 
I was loth to leave him, as we both knew that danger was 
more imminent than when in the mountains around Harper's 
Ferry. At the latter place, ihe ignorant slaveholding aris- 
tocracy were unacquainted with the topography of their own 
grand hills; — in Pennsylvania, the cupidity oi' the pro-sla- 
very elasBCS would induce them to seize a stranger on ^u.-pi- 
•i 



54 A VOICE FROxM UARPER's FERRY. 

cion, or to go hunting for our party, so tempting to them is 
the bribe offered by the Slave Power. Their debasement in 
that respect was another reason why we felt the importance 
of travelling at night, as much as possible. After leaving 
young Hazlett, I travelled on as fast as my disabled condition 
would admit of, and got into Chambersburg about two hours 
after midnight. 

I went cautiously, as I thought, to the house of an ac- 
quaintance, who arose and let me in. Before knocking, how- 
ever, I hid my rifle a little distance from the house. My ap- 
pearance caused my friend to become greatly agitated. 
Having been suspected of complicity in the outbreak, al- 
though he was in ignorance of it until it happened, he was 
afraid that, should my whereabouts become known to the 
United States Marshal, he would get into serious difficulty. 
From him I learned that the Marshal was looking for Cook, 
and that it was not only unsafe for me to remain an hour, but 
that any one they chose to suspect would be arrested. I rep- 
resented to him my famished condition, and told him I would 
leave as soon as I should bo able to eat a morsel. After 
having despatched my hasty meal, and while I was busy 
filling my pockets with bread and meat, in the back part of 
the house, the United States Marshal knocked at the front 
door. I stepped out at the back door to be ready for flight, 
and while standing there, I heard the officer say to my friend, 
" You are suspected of harboring persons who were engaged 
in the Harper's Ferry outbreak." A warrant was then pro- 
duced, and they said they must search the house. These 
Federal hounds were watching the house, and, supposing that 
who ever had entered was lying down, they expected to 
pounce upon their prey easily. Hearing what I did, I 
started quietly away to the place where I left my arms, gath- 
ered them up, and concluded to travel as far as I could before 
daylight. When morning came, I went off the road some 



ALBERT IIAZLETT. T),") 

distance to where there was a straw stack, where 1 r('ni:iin<''l 
throughout the day. At night, I set out and reached York, 
where a good Samaritan gave me oil, wine and raiment. 
From York, I wended my way to the Pennsylvania railroad. 
I took the train at night, at a convenient station, and went to 
Philadelphia, where great kindness was extended to mc; and 
from there I came to Canada, without mishap or incident of 
importance. To avoid detection when making my escape, I 
was obliged to change my apparel three times, and my jour- 
ney over the railway was at first in the night-time, I lying in 
concealment in the day-time. 



CHAPTEE XVII. 

A WORD OR TWO MORE ABOUT ALBERT HAZLETT. 

I LEFT Lieut. Hazlett prostrate with fatigue and hunger, 
the night on which I went to Chambersburg. The next day, 
he went into the town boldly, carrying his blanket, rifle and 
revolver, and proceeded to the house where Kagi had boarded. 
The reward was then out for John E. Cook's arrest, and sus- 
pecting him to be Cook, Hazlett was pursued. He was 
chased from the house where he was by the ofiicers, dropping 
his rifle in his flight. When he got to Carlisle, so far from 
receiving kindness from the citizens of his native State, — he 
was from Northern Pennsylvania, — he was arrested and 
lodged in jail, given up to the authorities of Virginia, and 
shamefully executed by them, — his identity, however, never 
having been proven before the Court. A report of his arrest 
at the time reads as follows: — 

"The man arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the insurrection 
was brought before Judge Graham on a writ of hahecis corpus to-day. 



56 A VOICE FROM HARPjail's FERRY. 

Judge Wabfcs presented a warrant from Governor Packer, of Pennsylva- 
nia, upon a requisition from the Governor of Virginia for the delivery of 
the fugitive named Albert Hazlett. There was no positive evidence to 
identify the prisoner." 

Hazlett was remanded to the custody of the Sheriff. The 
Judge appointed a further hearing, and issued subpoenas for 
witnesses from Virginia, &c. No positive evidence in that 
last hearing was adduced, and yet Governor Packer ordered 
him to be delivered up ; and the pro-slavery authorities made 
haste to carry out the mandate. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

CAPT. OWEN BROWN, CHARLES P. TIDP, BARCLAY COPPIC, F. J. 
MERRIAM, JOHN E. COOK. 

In order to have a proper understanding of the work done 
at Harper's Ferry, I will repeat, in a measure, separately, 
information concerning the movements of Capt. 0. Brown 
and company, given in connection with other matter. 

This portion of John Brown's men was sent to the Mary- 
land side previous to the battle, except Charles P. Tidd and 
eTohn E. Cook, who went with our party to the Ferry on 
Sunday evening. These two were of the company who took 
Col. Washington prisoner, but on Monday morning, they 
were ordered to the Kennedy Farm, to assist in moving and 
guarding arms. Having heard, through some means, that 
the conflict was against the insurgents, they provided them- 
selves with food, blankets, and other necessaries, and then 
took to the mountains. They were fourteen days making 
the journey to Chambersburg. The weather was extremely 
bad the whole time ; it rained, snowed, blew, and was freezing 



JOHN K. COOK. 

cold; but there was no shelter tor the fugitive triiVHller-', 
one of whom, F. J. Merriara, was in poor health, lame, and 
physically slightly formed. He was, however, greatly re- 
lieved by his companions, who did every thing possible to 
lessen the fatigue of the journey for him. The bad weather, 
and their destitution, made it one of the most trying journeys 
it is possible for men to perform. Sometimes they would 
have to lie over a day or two for the sick, and when fording 
streams, as they had to do, they carried the sick over on their 
shoulders. 

They were a brave band, and any attempt to arrest them 
in a body would have been a most serious undertaking, as all 
were well armed, could have fired some forty rounds apiece, 
and would have done it, without any doubt v/hatcver. The 
success of the Federal officers consisted in arresting those 
unfortunate enough to fall into their clutches singly. In thin 
manner did poor Hazlett and John E. Cook fall into their 
power. 

Starvation several times stared Owen Brown's party in the 
face. They would search their pockets over and over for 
some stray crumb that might have been overlooked in the 
general search, for something to appease their gnawing hun- 
ger, and pick out carefully, from among the accumulated dirt 
and medley, even the smallest crumb, and give it to the com- 
rade least able to endure the long and biting fast. 

John E. Cook became completely overcome by this hungry 
feeling. A strong desire to get salt pork took possession of 
him, and against the remonstrances of his comrades, he ven- 
tured down from the mountains to Montaldo, a settlement 
fourteen miles from Chambersburg, in quest of it. He was 
arrested by Daniel Logan and Clegget Fitzhugh, and taken 
before Justice Reisher. Upon examination, a commission 
signed by Captain Brown, marked No. 4, being found upon 
his person, he was committed to await a requisition from 



58 A VOICE FROM HARPEll's FERRY. 

Governor Wise, and finally, as is well-known, was surrendered 
to Virginia, where he was tried, after a fashion, condemned, 
and executed. It is not my intention to dwell upon the fail- 
ings of John E. Cook. That he departed from the record, as 
familiar to John Brown and his men, every one of them 
" posted " in the details of their obligations and duties, well- 
knows ; but his very weakness should excite our compassion. 
He was brave — none could doubt that, and life was hivested 
with charms for him, which his new relation as a man of fam- 
ily tended to intensify ; and charity suggests that the hope of 
escaping his merciless persecutors, and of being spared to his 
friends and associates in reform, rather than treachery to the 
cause he had espoused, furnishes the explanation of his pecu- 
liar sayings. 

Owen Brown, and the other members of the party, becom- 
ing impatient at Cook's prolonged absence, began to suspect 
something was wrong, and moved at once to a more retired 
and safer position. Afterwards, they went to Chambersburg, 
and stopped in the outskirts of the town for some days, com- 
municating with but one person, directly, while there. 
Through revelations made by Cook, it became unsafe in the 
neighborhood, and they, left, and went some miles from town, 
when Merriam took the cars for Philadelphia; thence to 
Boston, and subsequently to Canada. The other three trav- 
elled on foot to Centre County, Pennsylvania, when Barclay 
Coppic separated from them, to take the cars, with the rifles 
of the company boxed up in his possession. He stopped at 
Salem, Ohio, a few days, and then went to Cleveland ; from 
Cleveland to Detroit, and over into Canada, where, after re- 
maining for a time, he proceeded westward. Owen Brown 
and C. P. Tidd went to Ohio, where the former spent the win- 
ter. The latter, after a sojourn, proceeded to Massachu- 
setts. 



THE BICHAYIOU OF TIIK SLAVES. G'J 

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE BEHAVIOR OF TUB SLAVES CAPTAIN BUOWN'S OI'INION. 

Of the various contradictory reports made by slaveholders 
and their satellites about the time of the Harper's Ferry con- 
flict, none were more untruthful than those relating to the 
slaves. There was seemingly a studied attempt to enforce 
the belief that the slaves were cowardly, and that they were 
really more in favor of Virginia masters and slavery, than of 
their freedom. As a party who had an intimate knowledge 
of the conduct of the colored men engaged, I am prepared to 
make an emphatic denial of the gross imputation against 
them. They were charged specially with being unreliable, 
with deserting Captain Brown the first opportunity, and going 
back to their masters ; and with being so indifferent to the work 
of their salvation from the yoke, as to have to be forced into 
service by the Captain, contrary to their will. 

On the Sunday evening of the outbreak, when we visited 
the plantations and acquainted the slaves with our purpose to 
effect their liberation, the greatest enthusiasm was manifested 
by them — joy and hilarity beamed from every countenance. 
One old mother, white-haired from age, and borne down with 
the labors of many years in bonds, when told of the work in 
hand, replied : " God bless you ! God bless you ! " She then 
kissed the party at her house, and requested all to kneel, 
which we did, and she offered prayer to God for His blessing 
on the enterprise, and our success. At the slaves' quarters, 
there was apparently a general jubilee, and they stepped for- 
ward manfully, without impressing or coaxing. In one case, 
only, was there any hesitation. A dark-complexioned free- 
born man refused to take up arms. He showed the only want 
of confidence in the movement, and far less courage than any 



00 A VOICE FROM HARPtTv's FKRRY. 

slave consulted about the plan, in fact, bo far as I could 
iearn, the free blacks South are much less reliable than the 
slaves, and infinitely more fearful. In Washington City, a 
party of free colored persons offered their services to the 
Mayor, to aid in suppressing our movement. Of the slaves 
who followed us to the Ferry, some were sent to help remove 
stores, and the others were drawn up in a circle around the 
engine-house, at one time, where they were, by Captain Brown's 
order, furnished by me with pikes, mostly, and acted as a 
guard to the prisoners to prevent their escape, which they did. 
As in the war of the American Revolution, the first blood 
shed was a black man's, Crispus Attuck's, so at Harper's 
Ferry, the first blood shed by our party, after the arrival of 
the United States troops, was that of a slave. In the begin- 
ning of the encounter, and before the troops had fairly 
emerged from'the bridge, a slave was shot. I saw him fall. 
Phil, the slave who died in prison, with fear, as it was report- 
ed, was wounded at the Ferry, and died from the effects of it. 
Of the men shot on the rocks, when Kagi's party were com- 
pelled to take to the river, some were slaves, and they suffer- 
ed death before they would desert their companions, and their 
bodies fell into the waves beneath. Captain Brown, who was 
surprised and pleased by the promptitude with which they 
volunteered, and with their manly bearing at the scene of vio- 
lence, remarked to me, on that Monday morning, that he was 
agreeably disappointed in the behavior of the slaves ; for he 
did not expect one out of ten to be willing to fight. The 
truth of the Harper's Ferry " raid," as it has been called, in 
regard to the part taken by the slaves, and the aid given by 
colored men generally, demonstrates clearly : First, that the 
conduct of the slaves is a strong guarantee of the weakness of 
the institution, should a favorable opportunity occur ; and, 
secondly, that the colored people, as a body, were well repre- 
sented by numbers, both in the fight, and in the number who 
• suffered martyrdom afterward. 



THE BKIIAVIOK OF THE Sr,.A \ K< 01 

The first report of the number of "in?iurreotionista " kilkd 
was seveiiteen, which showed that several slaves were killed ; 
for there were only ten of tlie men that belonged to the Ken- 
nedy Farm who lost their lives at the Ferry, namely : John 
Henri Kagi, Jerry Anderson, Watson Brown, Oliver Brown, 
Stewart Taylor, Adolphus Thompson, William Thompson, 
William Leeman, all eight whites, and Dangerficld Newby 
and Sherrard Lewis Leary, both colored. The rest reported 
dead, according to their own showing, were colored. Captain 
Brown had but seventeen witb him, belono-ino- to the Farm, 

1. ' O CD ' 

and when all was over, there were four besides himself taken 
to Charlestown, prisoners, viz : A. D. Stevens, Edwin Coppic, 
white; John A. Copeland and Shields Green, colored. It is 
plain to be seen from this, that there was a proper per centage 
of colored men killed at the Ferry, and executed at Charles- 
town. Of those that escaped from the fangs of the human 
bloodhounds of slavery, there were four whites, and one color- 
ed man, myself being the sole colored man of those at the 
Farm. 

■That hundreds of slaves were ready, and would have joined 
in the work, had Captain Brown's sympathies not been aroused 
in favor of the families of his prisoners, and that a very dif- 
ferent result would have been seen, in consequence, there is 
no question. There was abundant opportunity for him and 
the party to leave a place in which they held entire sway and 
possession, before the arrival of the troops. And so cowardly 
were the slaveholders, proper, that from Colonel Lewis Wash- 
ington, the descendant of the Father of his Country, General 
George Washington, they were easily taken prisoners. They 
had not pluck enough to fight, nor to use the well-loaded arms 
in their possession, but were concerned rather in keeping a 
wHole skin by parleying, or in spilling cowardly tears, to ex- 
cite pity, as did Colonel Washington, and in that way escape 
merited punishment. No, the conduct of the slaves was be- 



62 A VOICE FROM HARPER'S FERRY. 

yoiid all praise ; and could our brave old Captain have steeled 
his heart against the entreaties of his captives, or shut up the 
fountain of his sympathies against their families — could he, 
for the moment, have forgotten them, in the selfish thought of 
his own friends and kindred, or, by adhering to the original 
plan, have left the place, and thus looked forward to the pros- 
pective freedom of the slave — hundreds ready and waiting 
would have been armed before twenty-four hours had elapsed. 
As it was, even the noble old man's mistakes were productive 
of great good, the fact of which the future historian will re- 
cord, without the embarrassment attending its present narra- 
tion. John Brown did not only capture and hold Harper's 
Ferry for twenty hours, but he held the whole South. He 
captured President Buchanan and his Cabinet, convulsed the 
whole country, killed Governor Wise, and dug the mine and 
laid the train which will eventually dissolve the union between 
Freedom and Slavery. The rebound reveals the truth. So 
let it be ! 



[From tho New York Tribune.] 

HO^?^ OLD JOHN BROWN TOOK HARPER'S FERRY. 

A BALLAD FOR THE TIMES. 

[Containing ye True History of ye Great Viryinia Frigid. '\ 

John Brown in Kansas settled, like a steadfast Yankee 
farmer, 
Brave and godly, with four sons — all stalwart men of 
might; 
There he spoke aloud for Freedom, and the Border-strife 
grew warmer, 
Till the Rangers fired his dwelling, in his absence in the 
night — 

And Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Came homeward in the morning, to find his house burned 
down. 

Then he grasped his trusty rifle, and boldly fought for Free- 
dom ; 
Smote from border unto border the fierce invading band; 
And he and his brave boys vowed — so might Heaven help 
and speed 'em ! — 
They would save those grand old prairies from the curse 
that blights the land ; 

And Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Said — "Boys, the Lord will aid us!" and he shoved his 
ramrod down. 

And the Lord did aid these men, and they labored day and 
even. 
Saving Kansas from its peril — and their very lives seemed 
charmed ; 



04 JOHN BHOWN's INVASIO?^. 

Till the Kuflians killed one son, in the blessed light of 
heaven — 
In cold blood the fellows slew him, as he journeyed all 
unarmed ; 

Then Old Brown, 
Osaw^atomie Brown, 
Shed not a tear, but shut his teeth, and frowned a terrible 
frown. 

Then they seized another brave boy — not amid the heat of 
battle, 
But in peace, behind his plough-share — and they loaded 
him with chains, 
And with pikes, before their horses, even as they goad their 
cattle. 
Drove him, cruelly, for their sport, and at last blew out 
liis brains ; 

Then Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Raised his right hand up to Heaven, calling Heaven's ven- 
geance down. 

And he swore a fearful oath, by the name of the Almighty, 
He would hunt this ravening evil, that had scathed and 
torn him so — 
He would seize it by the vitals; he would crush it day and 
night : he 
Would so pursue its footsteps — so return it blow for blow — 
That Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Should be a name to swear by, in backwoods or in town ! 

Then his beard became more grizzled, and his wild blue eye 
grew wilder. 
And more sharply curved his hawk's nose, snuffing battle 
from afar ; 
And he and the two boys left, though the Kansas strife waxed 
milder, 
Grew more sullen, till was over the bloody Border War, 
And Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Had grown crazy, as they reckoned, by his fearful glare and 
frown, 



A BALLAD Full TUi') T1.MK>5. h.T 

So he left the plains of Kansas and their bitter woes l»eliiii«l 
him — 
Slipt oif into Virginia, where the statesmen all are born — 
Hired a farm by Harper's Ferry, and no one know where to 
find him, 
Or whether he had turned parson, and was jacketed and 
shorn, 

For Old Brown, 

Osawatomie Brown, ■* 

IMad as he was, knew texts enough to wear a parson's gown. 

He bought no ploughs and harrows, spades and shovels, or 
f>uch trifles, 
But quietly to his rancho there came, by every train, 
Boxes full of pikes and pistols, and his well-beloved Sharp's 
rifles ; 
And eighteen other matlmen joined their leader there 
again. 

Says Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
"Boys, we have got an^army large enough to whip the town I 

" Whip the town and seize the muskets, free the negroes, and 
then arm them — 
Carry the County and the State ; ay, and all the potent 
South ; 
On their own heads be the slaughter, if their victims ri.'-^c to 
harm them — 
These Virginians ! who believed not, nor would heed the 
warning mouth." 

Says Old Brown, 
Osawatomie. Brown, 
"The world shall see a Republic, or my name is not John 
Brown ! " 

'T was the sixteenth of October, on the evening of a Sunday — 

" This good work," declared the Captain, " shall be on a 

holy night ! " 

It was on a Sunday evening, and before the noon of Monday, 

With two sons, and Captain Stevens, fifteen privates — 

black and white — 



66 JOHN brown's invasion. 

Captain Brown, 
Osawatoraie Brown, 
Marched across the bridged Potomac, and knocked the sen- 
tinel down ; 

Took the guarded armory building, and the muskets and the 
cannon ; 
Captured all the country majors and the colonels, one by 
one; 
Scared to death each gallant scion of Virginia they ran on, 
And before the noon of Monday, I say, the deed was done. 
Mad Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
With his eighteen other crazy men, went in and took the 
town. 

Very little noise and bluster, little smell of powder, made he ; 

It was all done in the midnight, like the Emperor's coup 

d'etat : 

♦' Cut the wires : stop the rail-cars : hold the streets and 

bridges!" said he — 

Then deslared the new Republic, with himself for guiding 

This Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown ! 
And the bold two thousand citizens ran. oif and left the town. 

Then was riding and railroading and expressing here and 
thither ! 
And the Martinsburg SnARPSnooTERS, and the Ciiarles- 
TOWN Volunteers, 
And the Shepiierdstown and Winchester Militia hastened 
whither 
Old Brown was said to muster his ten thousand grenadiers! 
General Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown ! 
Behind whose rampant banner all the North was pouring 
down. 

But at last, 'tis said, some prisoners escaped from Old 
Brown's durance. 
And the effervescent valor of Ye Chivalry broke forth, 



A BALLAD FOR THE TIMES. 07 

When they learned that nineteen madmen had the marvcllouH 
assurance — 
Only nineteen — thus to seize the place, and drive thcni 
frightened forth ; 

And Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Found an army come to take him encamped around the town. 

But to storm with all the forces we have mentioned was too 
risky; 
So they hurried oflf to Bichmond for the Government Ma- 
rines — 
Tore them from their weeping matrons — fired their souls 
with Bourbon whiskey — 
Till they battered down Brown's castle with their ladders 
and machines ; 

And Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Received three bayonet stabs, and a cut on his brave old 
crown. 

Tallyho ! the old Virginia gentry gathered to the baying ! 
In they rush and kill the game, shooting lustily away ! * 
And whene'er they slay a rebel, those who come too late for 
slaying. 
Not to lose a share of glory, fire their bullets in his clay ; 
And Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
Saw his sons fall dead beside him, and between them laid 
him down. 

How the conquerors wore their laurels — how they hastened 
on the trials — 
How Old Brown was placed, half-dying, on the Charles- 
town Court-House floor — 

* "The hunt was up — woe to the game enclosed within that fiery cir- 
cle ! The town was occupied by a thousand or fifteen hundred men, 
including volunteer companies from Shepherdstown, Charlestown, "Winches- 
ter, and elsewhere ; but the armed and unorganized multitude largely pre- 
dominated, giving the affair more the character of a great hunting scene 
than that of a battle. The savage game was holed beyond all possibility 
of escape." — Virginia Co)responde?U of Harper's Weekly. 



68 JOHN BROWN OF OSAWATOMIE, 

How he spoke his grand oration, in the scorn of all denials— 
What the brave old madman told them — these are known 
the country o'er. 

"Hang Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown," 
Said the Judge, " and all such rebels ! " with hia most judi- 
cial frown. 

But, Virginians, don't do it! for I tell you that the flagon, 
Filled with blood of Old Brown's offspring, was first 
poured by Southern hands : 
And each drop from Old Brown's life-veins, like the red 
gore of the dragon, 
May spring up a vengeful Fury, hissing through your 
slave-worn lands ; 

And Old Brown, 
Osawatomie Brown, 
May trouble you more than ever, when you 'vc nailed his 
coffin down ! 



[From the Boston Liberator.] 
JOHN BRCWlyr OF OSA'WATOMIE. 

BY G . D . W H 1 T sr R E . 

So you 've convicted old John Brown ! brave old Brown of 

Osawatomie ! 
And you gave him a chivalrous trial, lying groaning on the 

floor, 
'W^ith his body ripped with gashes, deaf with pain from sabre 

slashes. 
Over the head received, when the deadly fight was o'er ; 
Round him guns with lighted matches, judge and lawyers 

pale as ashes — 
For he might, perhaps, come to again, and put you all to 

flight, 

Or &urround you, as before 1 



JOHN DKOAVN OF OSAWATOMIK. C9 

You think, no doubt, you've tried John Brown, but he ',s hiid 

there trying you, 
And the world has beea his jury, and its judgment 's swift 

and true : 
Over the globe the tale has rung, back to your hearts the 

verdict's tiung, 
That you're found, as you've been always found, a brutal, 

cowardly crew ! 
At the wave of his hand to a dozen men, two thousand slunk 

like hounds ; 
He kennelled you up, and kept you too, till twice you saw 

through the azure blue, 

The day-star circle round. 

No longer the taunt, our history 's new, " our hero is yet to 

come'* — 
We 've suddenly leaped a thousand years beyond the rollirg 

sun! 
And, sheeted round with a martyr's glory, again on earth 's 

renewed the story 
Of bravery, truth, and righteousness, a battle lost and won ; 
A life laid down for the poor and weak, the immortal crown 

put on ; 
The spark of Luther's touched to the pile — swords gleam — 

black smoke obscures the sun — - 

And the slave and his master are gone ! 

Ages hence, when all is over that shocks the sense of the 

world to-day. 
Pilgrims will mount the western wave, seeking the new 

Thermopyla3 ; 
Then, for that brave old man with many sons, mangled and 

murdered, one by one, 
Whose ghosts rise up from Harper's gorge, Missouri's plains, 

and far away 
Where Kansas' grains wave tinged with their blood, will the 

column rise ! 
The Poet's song and History's page will the deeds prolong oi, 

John of Osawatomie, 

The Martyr to Truth and Right ! 



TO THE VIRGINIA SCAFFOLD 

[From the New York Independent.] 

THE VIRGINIA SCAFFOLD. 

Kear on high the scaffold altar ! all the world will turn to see 
How a man has dared to suffer that his brothers may be free ! 
Rear it on some hill-side looking North and South and East 

and West, 
Where the wind ii'om every quarter fresh may blow upon his 

breast, 
And the sun look down unshaded from the chill December sky, 
Grlad to shine upon the hero who for Freedom dared to die ! 

All the world will turn to see him ; — from the pines of wave- 
washed Maine 

To the golden rivers rolling over California's plain, 

And from clear Superior's waters, where the wild swan loves 
to sail, 

To the Grulf-lands, summer-bosomed, fanned by ocean's softest 
gale, — 

Every heart will beat the faster in its sorrow or its scorn. 

For the man nor courts nor prisons can annoy another morn ! 

And from distant climes and nations men shall westward 
gaze, and say, 

" He who perilled all for Freedom on the scaffold dies to-day.'* 

Never offering was richer, nor did temple fairer rise 
For the gods serenely smiling from the blue Olympian skies; 
Porphyry or granite column did not statelier cleave the air 
Than the posts of yonder gallows with the cross-beam waiting 

there ; 
And the victim, wreathed and crowned, not for Dian nor for 

Jove, 
Bat for Liberty and Manhood, comes, the sacrifice of Love. 

They may hang him on the gibbet ; they may raise the vic- 
tor's cry. 

When they see him darkly swinging like a speck against the 
sky ; _ 

Ah ! the dying of a hero, that the right may win its way. 

Is but sowing seed for harvest in a warm and mellow Mav ! 



" OLD JOHN BROWN." 7 1 

Now his story shall be whispered b}' the tirelight'H eveuiny; 

glow, 
And in fields of rice and cotton, when the hot noon passes slow, 
Till his name shall be a watch-word from Missouri to the sea, 
And his planting find its reaping in the birthday of the Free ! 

Christ, the crucified, attend him, weak and erring though he 

be; 
In his measure he has striven, sufi'ering Lord! to love like 

Thee; 
Thou the vine — thy friends the branches — is he not a branch 

of Thine, 
Though some dregs from earthly vintage have defiled the 

heavenly wine ? 
Now his tendrils lie unclasped, bruised and prostrate on the 

sod, — 
Take him to thine upper garden, where the husbandman is 

God ! 



"OLD JOHN BBO^^N." 

BY REV. E. H. SEAKS. 

Not any spot six feet by two 

Will hold a man like thee ; 
John Brown will tramp the shakmg earth. 

From Blue Ridge to the sea. 
Till the strong angel comes at last, 

And opes each dungeon door. 
And Grod's " Great Charter " holds and waves 

O'er all his humble poor. 

And then the humble poor will come, 

In that fiir-distant day, 
And from the felon's nameless grave 

They '11 brush the leaves away ; 
And gray old men will point the spot 

Beneath the pine-tree shade. 
As children ask with streaming eyes 

Where '• Old John Brown" is laid. 



72 



DIRGE. 

DIRGE 

Sunff at a Meeting in Concord, Mass., Dec. 2, 1859. 

To-day, beside Potomac's wave, 

Beneath Virginia's skj. 
They slay the man who loved the slave, 

And dared for him to die. 

The Pilgrim Fathers' earnest creed, 

Virginia's ancient faith. 
Inspired this hero's noblest deed, 

And his reward is — Death ! 

Great Washington's indignant shade 

For ever urged him on — 
He heard from Monticello's glade 

The voice of Jefferson. 

But chiefly on th© Hebrew page 

He read Jehovah's law. 
And this from youth to hoary age 

Obeyed with love and awe. 

No selfish purpose armed his hand, 

No passion aimed his blow ; 
How loyally he loved his land, 

Impartial Time shall show. 

But now the faithful martyr dies, 

His brave heart beats no more. 
His soul ascends the equal skies, 

His earthly course is o'er. 

For this we mourn, but not for him, — 

Like him in God we trust ; 
And though our eyes with tears are dim, 

We know that God is just. 



54 W 






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